


SURVIVAL

by heatherpeters



Category: The Blacklist, The Blacklist (US TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Comfort, Danger, F/M, Hurt, Pre-Season One AU, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-09
Updated: 2019-09-12
Packaged: 2020-06-25 07:07:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 32,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19740697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heatherpeters/pseuds/heatherpeters
Summary: Rookie FBI agent Elizabeth Scott is stranded at a snowed-in Denver Airport on New Years Eve, the day before her wedding to schoolteacher Tom Keen;  Meanwhile, Raymond Reddington, offers to fly her home to Washington D.C. in his GulfStream;  The Concierge of Crime has been watching over Elizabeth for years, unbeknownst to her; he wants only to protect her, even if it means getting her home to marry Tom Keen, a man Reddington profoundly loathes....Once they board his plane, neither could ever envision that their lives will be changed -- forever.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is an alternate universe story, which would take place before the pilot; Elizabeth is a rookie agent, trying to fly home from a Denver conference, in order to marry Tom Keen; its New Years Eve and snow storms have cancelled many flights, including hers; Enter Raymond Reddington, who's been protecting/watching over her for years, a fact for which Elizabeth is unaware. 
> 
> When Elizabeth accepts Reddington's offer to accompany him in his Gulf Stream and get her home in time for her wedding, tragedy strikes when their plane crashes in the mountains. 
> 
> Their fateful meeting, and ultimate fight for Survival will change both their future for the rest of their lives.
> 
> I'd enjoy and welcome your feedback, and hope you enjoy this Lizzington story.
> 
> P.S. - You know I always have a happy ending for Liz and Red, so not to worry; but the journey getting there may be a bit rough. Enjoy <3

The man in the heavy down zippered jacket, thick gloves and knit cap to keep out the cold winter wind, watched as the young, dark haired rookie FBI agent rushed from the taxi and made her way toward the airport terminal. He knew from sources that her seminar in Denver had gone way over schedule, aware that she’d already missed her flight back to Washington D.C. 

Dragging a single piece of wheeled luggage behind her, he noted that she rushed to the terminal, unaware that it had already been cancelled. It being New Year’s Eve, traffic and the light insistent snow fall created a chaotic, messy winter wonderland everywhere you looked. Looking up at the board of arrivals and departures, he suppressed an inward smile, satisfied with the fact that he had the ways and means of getting her home. 

From a distance in the large area, he focused intently on only her, making sure he’d be close by and ready to approach her when she was notified her flight had been cancelled.

###

Breathless and anxious, Elizabeth Scott finally approached the deserted gate; no one had to tell her she’d been too late. 

“I’m sorry, Miss Scott, but that was the last flight out today.” The amiable uniformed attendant told her. “I can put you on a ‘will-call’ for early tomorrow morning.”

“That’s too late.” Liz rolled her eyes. “I’m getting married tomorrow. It’s New Year’s Day. How about a flight to New York, then I can rent a car and drive to D.C. from there?”

“Sorry.” The flight attendant apologized. “You should have arrived earlier. The last flights to JFK and Newark have just departed. All additional flights from here on in are grounded, unfortunately.”

“Shit.” She frowned and thanked the attendant, then grabbed her luggage and rolled it to a nearby chair, slumped into one of those uncomfortable plastic chairs, and gave out a frustrated sigh as she pulled off her gloves and struggled to collect her thoughts.

Pulling out her cell, she called Tom, delivered the bad news, and promised to be home as soon as she was able. Disappointment clearly dotted his voice, and she sniffed back tears, sadness engulfing her. After all, she’d felt so lucky to have found the love of her life. She simply couldn’t imagine finding a more perfect man to spend the rest of her life with.

###

As Raymond Reddington settled his gaze upon her, his heart skipped, rejoicing in the fact that after all these years, he'd found himself this close to her. She was tall and lean, lovely mink-colored hair falling over her shoulders; he didn’t have to be told that those eyes of hers mirrored deep sapphires. What he couldn’t abide by, however, was the sadness that seemed to permeate her entire being, and the fact that she was under the impression that she’d be stuck in an airport terminal until tomorrow. He needed to aid her, to be present for her, as he’d been since her childhood. It mattered not that she didn’t know him, that he’d been there since the night of the fire; he’d sworn to Sam he’d look after her, especially after what she’d done that fateful night, over twenty-five years before. He wasn’t going to back off now.

Tugging off his heavy insulated gloves, he slipped on his black-rimmed eyeglasses, cleared his throat and straightened. Nature had taken care of her cancelled flight, and maybe fate had smiled on him, allowing him to do something for her. 

There was no way that she could know him, although a tiny spark in his mind kept nagging at him that she was now FBI. He’d kept track of her education and proud of the fact that she’d been in the top five percent of her class all through college. Now, a recent graduate of the Academy, he would assist her, be with her, even for a scant few hours. She planned to marry Tom Keen tomorrow, and that, in and of itself, presented a problem for him.

He knew who and what Tom Keen was, or better yet, what he wasn’t; he also knew that she was in love with the grammar schoolteacher. He couldn’t stop the wedding; he knew that now, and if marrying him made her happy, then so be it. He’d be protecting her from the shadows, always there if she needed assistance. In the meantime, he could spend a bit precious time with her, talk with her, get to know her. It was a small thing, but it would have to be enough. If he had the power within himself to keep her from marrying Keen, it wouldn’t take a moment’s time to eliminate him. A blink of an eye, and Tom Keen would be no more.

But Raymond Reddington, number four on the FBI’s most wanted list, would do nothing to bring sadness or grief into Elizabeth’s life. He didn’t have the right to hurt her. All he could do was protect her from afar, and he’d continue doing so as long as there was breath in his body. 

For now, he was just a stranger with the best of intentions: getting her back to Washington, and making sure that she was home, safe and sound. Hell, he’d hired the man to be Elizabeth’s friend, not to fall in love with her. Red’s blood boiled when he entertained the thought that Tom had gone against all of Red’s demands, and it had taken all his strength of will not to eliminate him. 

Dismissing his negative thoughts, he gazed at her as she made her way to an empty chair in the crowded terminal. Many would be sleeping on the floor or in an available chair, uncomfortable and frustrated at being trapped in this place until tomorrow.

Many, maybe, but not Elizabeth. 

###

“Excuse me? Miss.”

Liz looked up at the sound of a deep, male timbered voice. She spied the bespeckled, handsome older man standing before her, legs slightly apart, dressed for winter, complete with hiking boots, hooded zippered jacket, holding heavy wool gloves in one hand. 

“Yes?”

Tiny smile lines fanned out from his intense green eyes. “I couldn’t help overhear that you’ve missed your flight to Dulles.” 

A frown marred her lovely features as she squinted. He looked very familiar. Where had she seen him before? Within seconds, she knew exactly who he was. The nerve of this man, this fugitive from justice, approaching her. No wonder he was called the ‘concierge of crime’. 

Her first instinct was to excuse herself gracefully, and call the FBI, have him detained and arrested.

Yet….yet….something kept her from doing so. She had no idea what that reason could be. So she played along – for the moment. “Are you in the habit of listening to people’s conversations, Mr….?

He ignored her request for a name and continued. “Not at all.” He chuckled lightly. “I’d just concluded a meeting with a business acquaintance here in Denver and couldn’t help but notice all flights out have been cancelled until tomorrow.” 

Her body language changed ever so subtly, and her slightly imperceptible nod drove him to continue. “I know we are strangers and if I were you, I’d be very wary of an outsider approaching you in this fashion, but I can assure you that I’m a perfectly harmless businessman who just happens to own a private plane, and I’m heading back to Washington D.C.” Not waiting for her answer, he added, “I’d be happy to have you join me.”

“What about the weather? If many of these flights have been cancelled, how do you expect to fly out here?”

“You can trust me.”

“Is that so?”

His eyes widened in a bemused fashion as she looked into those stormy green orbs and silently profiled him: A loner, wealthy beyond means, and highly intelligent. She sensed a degree of danger, combined with inane sense of right and wrong. Instinct, strong and deep, told her that he meant her no harm. 

He nodded. “It’s not so much the weather, but the holiday air traffic that has fouled up the flying schedule, not to mention the snow, yet I assure you that I am a man of my word. No harm will come to you if you fly back to Washington with me. I’ll have a car waiting to take you to your home, this way you can prepare for your – wed-wedding.” He seemed to stumble over the word.

Should she take a chance with this man? Get on a plane and fly for over five hours in order to get home? To get back to Tom? Back in time for her wedding?

The answer was simple: “Yes.” 

###

As he continued to watch her body language, the way she looked at him, he knew she was profiling him. Good. He wanted her to be a little leery of a stranger.

He also needed her to trust him to get her home safe and sound, even if it was to marry Keen. Somehow, he’d deal with that situation when they arrived in Washington.

Watching her as she rose from the chair, hope rose in his heart. 

“Just so you know, I am an FBI agent, and have in my possession a licensed firearm. I’m also trained in extensive martial arts. Are we clear?”

He held back an amused chuckle and nodded somberly. “Duly noted and understood.”

As he grabbed her luggage with his left hand, he presented his right one to her. “A pleasure to meet you. My name is Kenneth Rathers.”

So that was how it was going to be? Elizabeth pursed her lips, clearly ambivalent. So, his little ploy of deception was rather unusual, but not criminal. She took a beat, and after an infinitesimal moment, her decision made, she reached for his hand.

“A pleasure, Mr. um, Rathers.” She felt her fingers engulfed within his large warm grip.

Two could play this game.

“My name is… Josephine…Josephine Sullivan.”

#####


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taking the offer of a flight home from the man who'd introduced himself as 'Kenneth Rathers', Elizabeth is intrigued by the man she knows is really the Concierge of Crime: Raymond Reddington; but his small deception is nothing compared to the danger that will involve them in a tragedy, placing their lives in mortal danger, leaving them both in a race for survival.

Red guided Elizabeth through the automatic sliding terminal doors, and before she could ask another question, a Mercedes town car pulled up to the curb. A large black man stepped from the vehicle and hugged the man who’d introduced himself as Kenneth Rathers.

After meeting the man called Dembe, they entered the car and drove several miles to what appeared to be a private air strip.

“You own a Gulf stream?” She inquired as they exited the Mercedes and walked toward to the hangar, while Dembe grabbed their luggage.

Red nodded. “You’ll be quite comfortable, I assure you, Agent Sullivan. Please feel free to imbibe in any item in my pantry: Plenty of food and drink; there’s also extra blankets if you’re feeling the chill.” He enjoyed impressing her, as evidenced on her lovely face. “All the comforts of home for our trip back to Washington.”

A uniformed young man greeted them from the top step of the plane. “Good afternoon.” He introduced himself and shook hands with Elizabeth. “My name is Nathan. Welcome to you both. We’re ready to depart in ten, Sir.”

“Thank you, Nathan.”

The pilot took Elizabeth’s luggage and carried it onto the plane, while she watched Dembe and Kenneth exchange words, not to mention, disposable phones, or, as they were commonly known: ‘burners.’

Dismissing the action as harmless, for now, at least, Dembe hugged Kenneth, then took both of Elizabeth’s hands inside his own in a warm gesture. “A pleasure to meet you. Kenneth is an honorable man. You can trust him. Have a pleasant flight.”

She nodded, returned his warm, friendly touch, and watched him depart, then allowed ‘Kenneth’ to lead the way onto the plane.

###

After being informed by Nathan that there would be a slight delay, Kenneth nodded and placed Elizabeth’s luggage in an overhead compartment and guided her to a seat.

“Well.” He began, opting to leave his winter parka on a nearby seat. “I’m sure you’d like to know more about the man you’re traveling with, Agent Sullivan. Ask me anything; I’m an open book, so to speak.”

Open book, my ass, she thought wryly.

She strapped herself in, then met the green eyes of her host. “Can I ask what you were doing in Vail, Mr. um, Rathers?”

“Skiing.”

“Skiing?”

He leaned his head to the side and smiled, eliciting a slight grin from her. “Yes. I own a chalet in Breckenridge and was entertaining business associates.” He turned, grabbed a bottle of scotch and two crystal glasses, then placing all on the small drop-down table between them. “I’m not too proud to admit that since suffering a knee injury several years ago while climbing Mount Everest, I’ve been stumbling on the bunny slopes; mainly suffering in silence in the hot tub. Shh, please don’t tell anyone.” His lips curved and he winked. then placed a finger to his lips. “Let it be our little secret.”

“I’ll take it to the grave.” She countered, accepting the glass of scotch that he’d poured for both.

He lifted his glass and clinked it to hers in a gesture of solidarity. “Here’s to making new acquaintances.”

She rarely drank, never scotch, but not wanting to cause a fuss, she nodded, and took a sip, feeling the alcohol slide down her throat, smooth as silk, while he did the same.

“Please fasten your seat belts.” The pilot announced, and Elizabeth took a deep breath. They drank in silence and when done, she watched as Kenneth returned the glasses and bottle to an overhead cabinet, lifted the small table between them to an upright position, then sat across from her and locked his own belt, while she did the same.

“In approximately four hours, with any luck at all and a good swift tail wind, you’ll be sleeping in your own bed.” He met her gaze and nodded in satisfaction. At least, he could give her this much.

As the plane picked up speed and made its way down the runway, they peered out the window, each engrossed in their own thoughts. She dared to stare at him out of the corner of her eye and nearly laughed at the absurdity of this entire situation.

Did he really think that she wouldn’t recognize him? Did he think that his close-cropped hair cut, black-rimmed glasses and slight stubble would fool anyone, especially an FBI agent?

And where the hell did he get that alias? Kenneth Rathers? No matter. The moment they touched ground, she’d be in contact with her superior, Harold Cooper, and together they’d bring down the fourth most wanted criminal in the country: Raymond Reddington.

###

She knew.

Red could feel her eyes on him, no matter how subtle her pretense. Now what? Now… Nothing. The important thing was to get her back to Washington. She may have known who he was, but she didn’t know that he’d been a shadowy presence in her life since her childhood. He knew from doing his homework that she was no one’s fool. She’d accepted his offer of a flight home because of who he was, and he credited her with that bit of deception. Where on earth had she come up with that name, though? Josephine Sullivan? 

Well played, Elizabeth, he mused, again facing her while neither showed their hand as the plane rose from the tarmac, its powerful engines pushing toward the sky, through the clouds, toward home.

If they were only going to be in the air for less than four hours, Red wasted no time in engaging her in conversation for as long as they’d be sharing the same space. Whatever she was planning when she de-planed, was up to her; he’d be long gone before she informed the FBI of his whereabouts. But for now, he ached to share this time with her.

“So, Agent, er- Sullivan, what were you doing in Colorado on New Year’s Eve?” He knew the answers; he just wished to engage her in pleasant conversation while he took the liberty of gazing into her lovely blue eyes.

Hands clasped in her lap, she exhaled lightly. “A special conference for rookie agents. To be honest, I’ve always been interested in the law – and why people commit crimes.” She shrugged. “What makes a person go against the law?” She met his gaze, raising a single eyebrow. “What drives them?”

“And what answers do you strive to learn?”

She stared unblinkingly into his deep green gaze. “I have a deep desire to research the complexities of the criminal mind. I don’t know why, but the subject fascinates me.”

“Indeed.” He suppressed a chuckle, while he worked his tongue across his top lip, anticipating her mini profile session. He was more than a willing subject.

“Yes, its amazingly interesting.” She continued, then leaned forward. “I’m curious. Do you think criminals are bad people who do good things? Or the other way around?”

Red could play this game as well. He leaned forward, so now they were nearly nose to nose. “I wouldn’t know, Josephine. I’m a businessman who is in the business of shipping. I’m an honest man, but if you’re asking my opinion….”

“I am.”

He wanted to tell her to stop trying so hard. He wanted to tell her he knew who she was. He wanted to stop calling her Josephine, for Chrissakes….

Instead, he sighed inwardly. “If you’d like to practice your profiling skills on me, go right ahead, I don’t mind. But you’d be better served to speak to a real ‘bad guy’. Don’t you agree?”

Her demeanor changed to one of contriteness. “I apologize, Kenneth. I’m not crazy about flying. Just trying to pass the time and you have been very kind at distracting me. Thank you.”

Red realized that she knew she was getting too close to identifying him, so she backed off. 

Rising above the thick white clouds, a bump of turbulence caused Elizabeth to grip her arm rest and swallow hard.

“Just a tiny bump in the road, Agent Sullivan; just relax.”

His tiny grin annoyed her for some reason. “You seem to be fearless, Kenneth. Doesn’t anything frighten you?”

“No.” He answered a bit too quickly. Nothing, except for the fact that if you ever disappeared from my life, I’d find a way to disappear as well, he thought sullenly. “What frightens you, Josephine?”

Her brow furrowed at being called by something other than her real name. Was he playing her? Did he know who she really was? No, no, how could he? He was just flirting and making her feel comfortable, and that was fine with her. Besides an innate sense of kindness, this man, this fugitive who’d been a ghost for more than twenty years, possessed a charismatic personality and a keen mind. 

“I’m an FBI agent; I’m not supposed to feel fear.”

He shook his head and pursed his lips. “Ah, I respectfully disagree; fear tells you that you are alive, Josephine. And when added to adrenaline, it gives you purpose in doing your job well. Remember, fear is a normal human reaction; the trick is not to let your opponent know what you’re feeling, isn’t that right?”

Another bump, slight dip, and Red’s brain alerted him that this disturbance was not due to routine turbulence. It was something else.

“Excuse me, um, Josephine.”

“What is it?”

“Probably nothing.” His smile was forced as he released himself from his belt and rose from his seat, then headed for the cockpit when he was promptly thrown against an empty seat. He held fast and trudged toward the front of the plane, his heart thrashing against his chest. This was not good.

“Nathan.” Red threw open the cockpit door and saw his pilot, clutching his chest.

“R-Red.”

No, no, no, no, his mind screamed as he approached the younger man, whose body suddenly went limp. He’d seen the effects of heart failure before, with his father, for one. And unfortunately for Nathan, this appeared to be a ‘widow-maker’: quick and deadly. The pilot’s eyes were already fixed and dilated; his mouth gaped open in sudden death. Thinking quickly, he ran back to Elizabeth.

“We’re having engine trouble. Listen to me, we have no time!” Watching her eyes glaze over in a look of utter terror, there was no time to console her. “Fasten your belt, put your head between your legs and do not move, you hear me?! Do not move!”

His heart thumped hard and quick, while he took a deep breath to steady himself. Within five seconds, he’d thrown on his heavy parka, opened an overhead compartment, pulled down several thick blankets and threw them over her, under her and around her head, while she struggled to keep from passing out in panicked terror.

“W-W-Where are you going?”

He grabbed her hand and gave a quick squeeze. “I’m going to try and land this plane.”

Their eyes met and locked for a heartbreaking second, and Red realized, if she was the last thing he envisioned before they both met their demise, it was enough.

She choked out a shaking gasp, then froze in place for a paralyzing second. His heart was racing as his adrenalin rose to a fever pitch, unable to disguise his rising apprehension. He just blinked, swallowed and steadied his voice – for her sake. “I’m sorry, Elizabeth….so sorry. Hold on to your courage; you can do it; I know you can.”

Her body shaking uncontrollably, tears brimming, heart pounding and her mind coming to the realization that these may be her last moments on earth, she gazed at the man who’d taken the co-pilots seat, and strapped himself in. 

Red took control of all around him while lights flickered, and warning sounds assailed him. He grabbed the pilot’s head phones, fought to steady his now shaking hands, then swallowed hard and found his voice while the aircraft continued to lose altitude.

“May-Day, May-Day…..”

In the meantime, her body trembling, and in a courageous attempt to tamp down her panic, her teeth chattered, even though surrounded by the soft blankets he’d shrouded her within. She lowered her head between her legs and recited silent prayers that death would be swift and painless then thought back on Reddington’s words: fear wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. You needed to feel fear to know that you were alive.

As a last thought, she took a deep intake of breath, bracing herself, as the most wanted criminal in America tried to save them.

His voice would be the last she ever heard.

The voice that had used her real name, not Josephine.

He’d called her Elizabeth.

###


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the crash, Red is forced to face the reality of their situation; He and Elizabeth are both injured, which will impede their survival; can they do it?

They were going down.

Although an experienced pilot, Red felt powerless, and hated the sensation as the plane lost altitude at an alarming rate. He’d sent ongoing May-Day calls, to no avail: all communications were gone, along with Nathan, whose lifeless form lay on the adjoining seat in the cockpit.

The snow-covered mountains surrounded them below; the pristine landscape quickly rising up to meet them.

Red strained to straighten out the plane as best he could, and held the controls so tight, he swore his fingers bled. He didn’t want his life to end this way: before he could have the time – time to get to know Elizabeth. Now he’d killed her, killed them both. They’d die together, buried in a mountainous terrain, still strangers. He wasn’t ready to go, not ready to die, but it seemed that in this case, he was not in control – not anymore. Their fate had been sealed.

Struggling to keep the plane steady as humanly possible as it descended at an alarming rate and picking up speed as it fell from the sky, Red’s last thoughts were of the woman in the cabin: alone, petrified, and preparing for death: Elizabeth.

His heart shattered, sweat beaded on his face as he fought to concentrate. This lovely young woman, just starting her career as an FBI agent would never know the truth about her childhood, never know that he’d watched over her from afar these many years, and all the reasons why.

She’d never know that she’d saved both their lives that night, nearly thirty years before, the night of a tragic fire that had taken the life of her father.

What would she have thought if she’d known that the man who’d been on the FBI’s Most Wanted List had once been a good man, an honorable man? A family man?

A man who’d only wanted to make sure she’d enjoy a fulfilling life that included a successful career. Now she’d never know.

“I’m sorry, Elizabeth.” He murmured, realizing it was too late to save them as the aircraft continued to lose altitude. Red took several deep breaths, commanding his body to ready itself for the impending crash. In a last attempt to right the aircraft and land on its belly, he attempted to steer the plane adjacent to a mountain cliff. His last thought: try to lessen the impact, therefore affording them both, a quick journey into oblivion.

As the control panel continued to beep, buzz and ring, red lights flashing, his adrenalin pumped uncontrollably, all thoughts centered on only her. He swallowed hard, took several halting breaths, closed his eyes and braced for impact as the ground rose up to meet him.

“Lizzie.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A stabbing pain in his head woke him, swift and sharp, as Red fought to open his eyes.

He was alive, crumpled in the wreck, surrounded by a mass of debris, he surveyed the chaotic scene all around him. A warm streak of blood dribbled down his face, and hammering pain brought on nauseating dizziness while his entire body hurt from the impact. In the meantime, he shook his head, as if to dismiss the head wound.

It was dark. How long had he been unconscious? How many hours?

Elizabeth? Where was she? 

"Elizabeth!"

No response.

His heart pounded furiously as adrenaline flowed through him, his thoughts and gaze desperately searching for her, silently praying she’d survived. He wouldn’t want to live and breathe if she was dead. The rubble was chaotic and devastating, as he found himself disoriented. His eyes widened and blinked furiously in order to gain purchase of his location, which was in mid-cabin, on his side.

Where was she?

Focus, he commanded himself. Fortunately, he’d been able to crash the aircraft on its belly, half buried in a snow drift, somewhere on a mountain. Red blinked furiously, experiencing a sense of his brain being scrambled. Damn it, he recognized the symptoms of a concussion, having suffered one many years before, in another time, another life. 

He had to get to her, but could hardly see, much less move. Each time he tried to gain purchase, dizziness assailed him, and he gagged from the nausea. Damn, damn. His attempts to move failed, again and again, as he attempted to move his weak form, needing to find her among the wreckage. 

“Elizabeth!!” He called again in a weak, breathless voice, hollow within the deadly silence of the wilderness.

They’d impacted within a high, thick drift; it was a miracle he’d survived, as the cockpit had been obliterated by the crash, leaving them completely exposed to the elements. The remainder of the aircraft hadn’t fared much better: windows blown out, chairs decimated, and everything not nailed down had been thrown toward the tail of the aircraft, drawing a picture of mangled wires, broken glass and misshapen plastic. He swiped at the blood that obscured his vision with a weak hand, then continued to survey the wreckage while he called her name, over and over. He’d been thrown back into the cabin on impact, and the tail were badly damaged and broken, yet remained relatively intact. By some miracle, he’d been able to dive into a high snow drift, avoiding the blow of a more deadly impact. 

The ceiling above them was intact. The overhead compartments had spilled open, and a myriad of supplies had spilled out among the small area as if thrown around by a deadly tornado, among them: water bottles, blankets, flares, first aid containers...

Medication.

“Mmmm….”

Elizabeth.

Following the sound of her small, pained voiced, he crawled toward her, hands trembling, heart racing in anticipation, holding back a gasp of relief that she’d survived, yet to what degree? 

Not knowing whether blood or his own tears dribbled down his cheek, he  
continued to blink rapidly, as if to will the pain away. Red kept calling to her, who'd been thrown clear from her seat, and was now lying on her back, in a pile of wreckage.

Grunting in pain, his body in distress, and braced by only strength of will, adrenalin drove him to reach her. Slowly, he held his breath as he finally approached her prone, pale, motionless body.

“No no no no.” He shook his head, a mistake, given the bombardment of pain that rocked him.

She was partially buried under a mass of rubble. He needed to examine her in order to know what injuries she’d suffered. With trembling, ice-cold fingers, he tenderly unzipped her heavy parka, then swallowed with terror as he placed an ear to her chest...Miraculously, her heartbeat was a bit weak, but steady. A breathy gasp of relief escaped him, when he spied no blood.

Miraculously, they were alive. They'd survived. He nearly cried out with a thankful gasp of joy. Lifting a hand to her face, he allowed himself to just gaze at her: still, deathly pale and cold, yet still so lovely.

"Elizabeth." He whispered, as dizziness nauseated him. "I'm here…we're alive. Can you hear me?"

He received no response as his head seemed to explode. Whatever adrenalin he'd stored since the crash was now seeping from him. Shock would soon set in and he’d be no good to either of them. He could do nothing but lie beside her, his cheek touching her own, lending her his own body heat. He gingerly moved as close to her as possible, lending her his body heat.

“Oh God….” A weak groan of agony told Red that she was hurting, badly, as she opened her eyes, struggling to focus. Before Red could stop her, she attempted to move. "My leg! I can’t move my leg."

“Shhh, easy now; don’t move.” Red gingerly lifted her pant leg above the knee and took a swift intake of breath. Her leg was swollen below the knee, her shin already discolored and nasty.

"God it hurts!" She cried out, and moved her head side to side, taking in the scene all around her. Realizing they’d crashed and were now trapped in the wreck, a broken sob escaped her lips, as she fought to focus on Red. "What are we going to do? How will we ever be found? What if the plane is leaking gas? What about the pilot?” 

Her tears, mixed with her terror, shattered his heart as he struggled with his own sense of worry and fear.

Red lay next to her, spied blankets strewn about, and weakly pulled them over her. "I don’t want you to worry about anything, do you understand? I’m not injured, just a little headache. After I check on the condition of the plane, I’ll bury Nathan, then I'm going to make a splint for you. Elizabeth, listen to me: I need to go outside, send up some flares, and gather materials, see if I can find the black box. We’re alive, do you understand? I promise you, we’re going to be okay."

Tears filled her eyes as she realized where they were and the impossibility of their situation. "What-what happened to Nathan?”

This was no time to be delicate. “Most likely suffered a massive heart attack; death was quick and merciful. I’ll take care of him.”

Tears squeezed from her eyes as she shook her head. “Please don’t leave me. Oh my God, we're going to die up here. No one is going to find us. I can't walk, my leg is utterly useless, and your head is bleeding...." She let out a gasp of utter despair.

Before he could soothe her, she’d lifted her cold shaking fingers and touched the bloody spot above his left eye. “So much blood.” 

His eyes closed, welcoming her delicate touch, as her fingers lightly pressed against his skin.

“I’m fine.” He lied. “It’s nothing for you to be concerned about.” He caught her hand in his own, daring to caress her cool fingers in his own, grabbing his insulated gloves from his inner jacket pocket and slipping them on. He needed to keep her warm, get her some water, then find some medication for them.  
So much to do, to accomplish. He needed to take one step at a time, calm down and focus.

He needed to form a plan to get them out of here, and back to civilization. He released her hands long enough to grab part of a broken cushioned seat and place it under her head to bring her some comfort.

“I have medication. Hold on while I find something for your pain, okay? Don’t try to move. I’m not going to let us die, do you hear me? Fortunately, and thanks to my associates, this aircraft is – or was – full and well equipped with an array of first aid.” He attempted to humor her. “We’re going to get out of here and find help, I promise.”

She blinked back tears and nodded. He was sincere, and a certain degree of comfort swept over her. “I believe you.”

“We have snacks and jerky, and water and blankets.” He hated hearing the weakness in his own voice; it was unacceptable as he continued to put priorities in order, to will the pounding pain in his head to abate. Their situation would do them no good if he were to succumb to weakness and pain. He could not die and leave her alone.

He would not die.

His first attempt to rise found him faltering from dizziness. Again, he fought back near crippling nausea, and looked back at Elizabeth, offering her a weak smile of assurance. “I just need a moment.”

Elizabeth grabbed his hand. “Stop. Take a breath.” She said in a throaty whisper. “You’re injured too. Just rest, just for a bit.”

“No.”

He took several deep breaths until the nausea subsided long enough for him to stand again. This time, he steadied himself and looked down at her, watching her wince from what have been agonizing discomfort.

"Shhh." He wanted to erase her pain, wanted to believe his own words of reassurance. They were on a mountain, snow surrounded them, it was January, and his aircraft was nearly decimated. Not good odds, and if he was being realistic, they had enough supplies to last a few days – if they were lucky. Not much to be optimistic about. 

Where was Dembe’s spiritual guidance and insistent optimism when he needed it?

“It’s going to be okay…..we’re going to be okay, I promise.”

As he steadied himself and rose to his feet, dizziness assailed him again, but he worked through it, and moved through piles of debris. He spotted a case of bottled water. After rummaging for long moments, in an adjoining pile, he found what he sought: two large first aid kits, one containing bandages, and the other, hopefully, pain meds, burn creams, antibiotics and other necessary sundries they would desperately need.

Exhaling a sigh of relief, Red nodded and thought of his dear friend, who always, always, left no stone unturned. Dembe. Bless his heart.

First things first: He had to access their situation...thankfully they weren't on fire....He smelled no fuel, but needed to go outside to see for himself.....He had to bury Nathan, find the materials necessary to make a splint for Elizabeth, take inventory of what they had for resources, and then find out how long they had to survive in this snow covered mountain.

It was just the two of them now, and Red would do everything in his power, everything he'd learned about survival over the years, whether it was in the Navy chasing spies, in the desert or a sandstorm, in the middle of a civil war in a foreign land. He wasn't prepared to die up here, not today.

They only had each other to survive now. They would be rescued; the black box would send out a signal and Dembe would rescue them. Red repeated those words like a mantra: They would be rescued…..the alternative was too painful to entertain.

Then, and only then, he would tell her everything. 

There was so much to tell her.

But first things first: he had to access the damage to the plane, bury Nathan the tend to her injury and create a splint for her leg, plus figure out a way to get them out of here and find a way to bring her home.

Gazing dizzily at his watch, which remained operational, he saw it was January. Hours had passed since they’d crashed. It was Elizabeth’s wedding day, which she’d realize sooner or later. And when she did, he’d be there to comfort her, and care for her. 

Adjusting a thick warm knit cap and wrapping himself in a heavy scarf he’d pulled from a broken bin under a shattered cabin window, he silently thanked Dembe once more for literally saving them from the bitter weather and harsh elements, then took a deep, cleansing breath.

“Happy New Year.” He thought sarcastically, while he stumbled through the mass of mangled wires and debris, while his head resumed its near blinding pain that reminded Red of a runaway train. No matter, he trudged through the mess, and began to take charge of the tasks at hand.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Red and Liz struggle to survive the crash, they need to come to the realization that they must venture out into the dense, bitterly cold wilderness; with both of them injured, and no help in sight, they form an alliance to face their fate, whatever it may be -- together.

Exhaustion moved over Red like a shroud, causing his eyesight to blur, and his head to throb in accordance with his heartbeat. 

He’d managed to administer pain meds to Elizabeth and have her drink as much water as she could manage. Keeping hydrated was imperative, so he sipped as much as needed, holding down his nausea, then ingested tablets for his pain as well. He realized that conserving water was a must, so going forward he would give Elizabeth the majority of hydration; he’d take drops only when needed.

He also found twin slabs of metal, broken away from a demolished wing then clumsily concocted a makeshift splint, and attached it to the sides of her leg, gently wrapping it around with tape he’d found in the survival kit.

Through this ordeal, Elizabeth managed to deal with the pain, holding back broken moans until the drugs eased her discomfort. By the time Red had the splint in place, she’d blessedly fallen asleep, causing him to sigh a breath of relief.

The wind outside was calm, for now. Red realized that he must bury Nathan, but exhaustion came often and he was close to passing out. He needed a little time to stay conscious before his body gave out. Just one moment, he thought, lying next to Elizabeth, tending to her, covering her with all the blankets he could find. He placed his knit cap atop her head, tucked her hair inside, and made sure she was warm.

And then, before he lost consciousness, he closed his eyes, let the pain medication do its job, and drifted off, one arm draped over Elizabeth, buried under the mountain of blankets.

If they died now, together, there was no place else he’d rather be.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The eerie whistle of the howling wind awakened him. Slowly opening his eyes, Red took in his surroundings once more, and was thankful his headache had lessened to a dull ache. Good enough to rise and find the strength to bury Nathan, then find some sort of covering to block out those damn gusts.

Silently thankful that the plane had provided the shelter they so desperately needed, he turned his head to look upon Elizabeth, still sleeping, albeit from the pain medication, and exhaled a sigh of relief to see that she was breathing more easily.

Red had covered nearly every inch of her, the only part exposed, her eyes and mouth. That harbinger of wind could only mean one thing: another storm was on the way.

He rose and braced himself, then spied his luggage within the rubble, strewn about with other bits and pieces of the aircraft. It was a miracle none of the seats had hit them when they crashed. Those seats would come in handy later. But first things first: burial for the young pilot who’d tragically met his end much too soon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Elizabeth awakened to a strange sound: howling wind surrounded her, and she began to shiver. The pain in her leg had lessened to a dull throb, and her head felt foggy and thick from the pain pills Reddington had administered; her mouth was dry, her arms felt like rubber. 

Looking around the cabin, she noticed she was alone. Where was he?

“Hello! Where are you?”

He wouldn’t have left her and for some reason, she knew that to be true. He was probably accessing the condition of the plane, and their location.

“How the hell are we going to get out of here?” Her mouth choking on the words no one could hear. And then she attempted to deduce what day this was.

It was New Years Day. Her wedding day. A wedding that wouldn’t happen today; may never happen. A lone tear slid down her cheek, as she thought of Tom, and what he must be going through. “Probably thinks I’m dead.” She thought sullenly.

Reddington promised that they’d be rescued, that together, they would find a way to survive. How? She didn’t have a clue, yet, she must dig deep down inside herself and find her courage. If Reddington escaped arrest and persecution all these many years, there was no doubt that he possessed a brilliant mind. She had to believe they would live. They would. “Suck it up,” she told herself. “You’re an FBI agent for God’s sake. Breathe. I will not die, not here, not on a remote mountain in the middle of nowhere. I refuse to give up. No matter how scared I am. The two of us can do this, together.” 

She tamped her panic and slowed her racing heart by taking deep breaths. Then she realized she had to pee. “Shit.”

“What’s wrong?”

Reddington had magically appeared at the cockpit and had obviously heard her. “Are you in pain? Tell me.”

His concern for her was palpable, despite his status as a master criminal. It didn’t matter what he was, because it was just her…and him. Two people trapped, marooned, so to speak, relying only on the other.

It was no time to be shy. “I need to relieve myself.” She said pointedly.

He nodded and approached her without hesitation, his voice low and filled with concern. “I’ll help you, but we must hurry. There’s no time.” He cringed. “Another storm is approaching, and I must to construct some sort of cover to escape exposure. We can’t risk hypothermia.” His words were clear and to the point. “Then, we need to huddle for warmth with plenty of supplies until it’s over.”

She saw the dried blood on his forehead and frowned. “How is your head?”

“I’m fine.” He wasn’t about to tell her that he’d vomited twice while burying Nathan.

She nodded, opting not to argue with him, then struggled to a sitting position as he knelt at her side.

“Put your arms around me. Place your weight on your good leg.” He gently commanded as he lifted her to a standing position.

“Is there anything you can tell me? Our location? Do you know far we are from civilization?”

She met his gaze, with hope in her eyes, and though he wasn’t in the mood to answer her questions, if it would take her mind from her leg, so be it. “We’re at least fifty miles from humanity, I’m guessing.” He took the strain from her leg, hoping beyond hope that her weight didn’t floor him. He stared at her, never blinking, sinking into her eyes, sapphire blue and mesmerizing. “I’m afraid we have a tough road ahead of us.” He stated plainly, then added, “The black box will send out a signal. They will find us, but it’s going to take time. We’re in the mountains. I’m sorry; I wish I could give you better news.”

And then he watched as her demeanor shifted. Her eyes showed no fear, no panic, no pain. She met his gaze and nodded. “Thank you for not sugar-coating this.”

“It’s okay to be frightened.” He told her, stepping over fallen pieces of aircraft, then getting her out of their shelter. “But at least we’re alive, relatively in one piece, and have water and some nourishment to last a couple of days.”

“And after that?”

He sighed heavily, let her down so she could lean on the wreckage, then turned his back, while she pulled down her pants and relieved herself. “After that, we have to set out, and find help.”

“I’m going to slow you down, you know that….perhaps you should….”

He turned back to her when she was done. “I know what you’re thinking. Don’t ever say that again. I will never leave you. That is not up for discussion. Wherever we go, we’re going together. I’ll build a sled for you, strap you in with the belts.” He lent her his weight, arms around each other, then led them inside, while snow began to pelt them. “We won’t say another word about it. We will find help, so whatever you’re thinking, stop, now.”

She nodded as they re-entered the wreck, lowered her to her spot, then wrapped her in blankets, gloves, a heavy woven knit cap, and woolen scarf, anything to keep her warm. “How is your leg? Do you need another tablet?”

“No.” She leaned her head back on a broken seat Reddington had fashioned for her as a makeshift pillow. “No pain right now.” She managed a genuine smile.   
“Thank you.”

Her smile caused his heart to skip a beat. And his smile was a grateful response, as if filled with joy in the fact that she suffered no pain – for now. “There’s another storm brewing. I must find a way to cover up that open cockpit, gather up some supplies to keep close, and wait it out. Then…” He met her eyes, and silently, secretly, admired the determination and fearlessness he found in those brilliant sapphire orbs. “We need to venture out and find help.”

She nodded; chin lifted in agreement. “Yes, I know. I’ll be ready to leave whenever you say. I trust you.”

Red was struck suddenly speechless. “Your courage astounds me. Together, we will make it; of that I have no doubt. I hope you realize that.”

She shook her head, as if surprised this man could say something so profound, so encouraging. This stranger, a man who’d been a fugitive for decades; a man who was saving their lives with every move he made. He couldn’t fool her, she knew he had a serious head injury, but would never let on that he was suffering. She couldn’t help but care for him. There was something about him that pulled her toward him. And right now, they had to be strong – for each other.

He turned from her and took several steps to an overturned storage container. He reached for a bottled water, a bag of trail mix, and handed them to her. “Please, eat something, drink the water. I’ll return as soon as I can.”

She didn’t realize how hungry she’d been until she saw the provisions he’d presented. “Thank you.”

He nodded slightly, then turned and left the cabin, leaving Elizabeth filled with hope that she would, indeed, live through this horror.

And it was all because of Raymond Reddington; FBI’s most wanted criminal.

Yet at this moment, she saw him not as a felon, a monster as some described him. A man who’d abandoned his family many years before on Christmas Eve.

Stories, all stories. And right now, she believed little of what she’d heard.

Raymond Reddington was just a man.

A man who was hell bent on saving both their lives.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He’d found, of all things, a nylon camping tent in a crushed compartment toward the plane’s tail, courtesy of Dembe, who had no doubt gone camping in New York’s Catskill mountains and left the tent on the Gulf Stream, thank goodness. Red’s dearest friend and companion must be worried sick by this time, maybe thinking Red, Elizabeth and Nathan were certainly dead, but never surrendering until proof was presented to him. It pained him to think of this dear, gentle man in pain, possibly deep in grief. “Don’t give up on us, Dembe.” He thought, knowing the man he’d raised, the splendid man who’d grown up to be an exceptional human being, a man who’d saved Red’s life -- and soul – dozens of times, would keep searching until proof of their survival – or demise – was shown to him.

The yellow covering was damaged, yet there were sections that were wide enough to keep out the wind and snow if he stretched it and attached it to cover the entrance of the cabin.

Then he sacrificed two blankets, slicing them into sections with a knife in order to cover the openings left by the blown-out windows. It was important that they were protected from the winds at this altitude. There were plenty of blankets left to cover Elizabeth, plus two extra parkas: one belonging to the dead pilot, and another, one of Dembe’s fur lined winter coats. Red would bundle Elizabeth in that one when they were ready to venture out of the plane as soon as weather permitted. 

It took the better part of an hour, but Red finally stepped back and admired his handiwork. His head hurt, and his heart raced double time, due to the exertion. The tent was now a taut, yellow wall, separating the outside elements from him and Elizabeth. The plastic would resist the wind, much as it would if they were camping. Again, he silently thanked Dembe, who was saving lives, without even being aware of doing so.

Thoroughly exhausted, and with the hint of nausea returning, Red returned to Elizabeth, who was now bundled like a newborn. The wind grew more hostile and he could see blinding snow outside one of the cracked portals. He’d sheltered them just in time.

Her eyes were closed, but her mouth formed a firm line, signaling her pain.

He took the bottle of pain meds from his pocket, then settled himself next to her. He covered himself as best he could, bracing for the oncoming tempest.

She felt him shift on his side to face her, and opened her eyes, looked first at him, then at the large yellow covering facing them. “Where on earth did you find that? It’s perfect.”

“Dembe.” Was all he said, and she smiled.

“Thank you, Dembe.” She looked up at him, tears brimming, sight blurring. 

“You’re in pain; take these, and we’ll wait out the storm.”

She never argued, just took the pills from his open palm, washed them down with the water he helped her sip.

He took three aspirin for himself, huddled under the blankets and watched her, asking for silent permission to hold her in his arms, for warmth.

She nodded, huddled closer, then burrowed under him and took his arm, draping it across her chest, essentially binding each to the other. “Don’t let go.” She whispered.

“Never.” He murmured, cherishing her warmth, vowing to keep her safe and warm through the night. They were basically enveloped within one another, and Red allowed himself to close his eyes, the only relief he was given from his shattering headache.

Night began to fall, and within seconds, swirling winds grew in intensity, rocking the plane. Outside their makeshift haven, the oncoming storm created a chaotic tempest in the wilderness where they were, making them, essentially, the only two people on earth.

A moment before slumber overtook her, she grabbed his gloved hand with her own, squeezed, then whispered, “Thank you, Mr. Reddington.”

He puffed out a discernible chuckle of relief, now that the charade of their identities was at an end. “Sleep, Elizabeth.”

“Just sleep.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Red and Liz begin a tenuous partnership in light of their dire consequences; but in the midst of their tragic situation, a spark of something begins to grow and blossom in their hearts.

Ironically, it was the otherworldly silence that awakened Red. They’d survived the snowstorm that raged and swirled around them during the night, and in its wake, produced a bone-chilling, bitter morning.

He wasted no time coming alert, his first thought, tending to Elizabeth. He turned toward her, her arm resting comfortably upon his chest, and sighed, noting the fact that her breathing was even and steady; she appeared comfortable. Allowing himself to gaze upon her in the pre-dawn light, his heart fluttered. They’d been together less than 48 hours, yet, he’d felt an unexplainable closeness to her. She was beautiful, not only outwardly, but the courage she’d shown him since the crash, her injury and their dire predicament, had stirred something deep inside him.

She is in love with Keen, he reminded himself, biting the inside of his cheek at the disturbing thought. There could never, ever be a possibility of…..

He refused to even entertain any thoughts of her in any way other than a co-survivor and perhaps, in the future – if they survived - a friend. 

Dashing away such impossible thoughts, allowing them to dissipate like a snowflake when touched, he pulled off one glove, and dared to touch her forehead, hoping against hope that infection hadn’t set in, causing a fever.

She was cool and dry, thank goodness. So far, so good.

It was abundantly clear that their departure was imminent, given the weather. Waiting for rescue that wasn’t likely to appear for the foreseeable future, hit him like a punch to the gut, so their only option was to fill their backpacks with everything they could carry, and set out in search of help.

Red was used to dangerous weather conditions: faced deplorable conditions in lands where weather ruled the landscape. He’d scaled and tackled mountains and cliffs, caught in monsoons and dust storms, but never with an injured partner, and certainly not when suffering from an apparent concussion.

Digging through an inner pocket in his parka, he lifted out his cell phone. Flipping it open, he knew he’d find a blank screen, no connection, yet he stared at it anyway, silently hoping for a light, a bar, anything. Then he thought of the black box and closed his eyes, a sliver of hope filling his heart. “Dembe, please find us,” he whispered, thinking only of Elizabeth as he continued to gaze upon her peaceful visage. He didn’t care about his own life, but Elizabeth must go home, have a life, children….happiness.

A dull throbbing in his head reminded him of his own injury returned, and he rose from their makeshift bed slowly, without disturbing her, his eyes squinting as the pain intensified. Lifting the blankets then re-tucking her inside the shelter of warm heavy fabric, he managed a tiny smile thinking of an expression his mother often whispered when he was a boy while bundling him into bed: ‘snug as a bug in a rug.’

He thought of his mother often during the past several years while looking at Elizabeth, and knew with certainty, that his mother would have adored her, would have admired her spunkiness, her brave nature. His mother had been a wise, intelligent soul, and he allowed himself a tiny chuckle, thinking of her nickname for him: ‘butterscotch poodle’, because of the thick, teaming mane of golden wavy hair he possessed as a boy.

Thoughts of his past blended into memories of Elizabeth’s childhood, her formative years, a teen ager in high school, college and training for the FBI. Reports of her welfare throughout her young life remained in his mind, his heart, embedded there all these years. 

He’d decided to surrender to the FBI the moment Elizabeth reported for her first day of work at the former post office location, now transformed into a black site. He was to give himself up in several months. Yet when he discovered her predicament in returning to Washington, he quickly changed his plans, took action and came to her rescue.

Who was he fooling? He wanted to be with her, knowing her marriage to Keen was imminent. What the hell did he think he was going to accomplish, befriending her? Taking the chance to get to know her? That she would develop feelings for him, leave Tom, then run away with him? 

You stupid, delusional fool, he chided himself. Sentimentality does not suit you, he thought wryly. When she discovers you’ve protected her all these years, she will despise you for deceiving her, and you’ll never see her again. Get her back to Washington, make sure she receives the finest medical care money could buy, and fly away. 

Tightly shutting his eyes, whether from pain or to erase painful thoughts of setting her free, he made certain every inch of his skin was protected from the elements; adjusted his knit cap, jacket hood over his head, and checked the compass on his watch. Grabbing a half full bottle of water, he tossed three aspirins in his mouth, washed them down, and left the remainder beside her. Grateful the makeshift shelter he’d created from the nylon tent had held up well, he grabbed his loaded gun, just in case. Wolves and mountain lions were a very real possibility even this far from civilization. He had to take precautions and tucked the Glock in his deep parka pocket. Exiting the aircraft, he inhaled deeply, then took in the surreal surroundings.

After the intensity of the storm the night before, there wasn’t much more to survey except the snow-covered mountains, the cloud-laden sky, and the once majestic, well-constructed aircraft, now a mangled mess, that had virtually saved them.

He stood, taking slow deep breaths, until the pain in his head dimmed to a dull ache. Hands on hips, eyes closed, he lifted his face to the sun as it peaked through the clouds, treasuring the tiny rays of heat it exuded, while inhaling cold clean air as it cleansed and filled his lungs. 

Red was worried, and, yes, frightened to a certain degree. For him. For her. For them. She’d showed amazing courage last night before the storm, and the little charade of false identities was at an end. When they returned to civilization – and they would – if she decided to turn him in, he wouldn’t blame her. However, he had no intention of being arrested. He’d get her back to Tom, and only because she was to marry him. The thought instilled a bitter taste in his mouth, and a strange pang in his heart. What he wanted, however, above all else, was her happiness – even if it was to be found with Keen.

A moment had passed between them last night. Yes, the idea of her in peril had brought out emotions of danger and the idea of impending death. She told him she trusted him; she called him Reddington. Her bravery in the face of this unimaginable danger, was indeed, commendable. And her confident attitude toward him instilled something deep inside that calmed his inner self. 

They had enough rations, water, and meds to last a few days, another week, at most. He would gladly give her his share of anything that would help her survive. But what would happen when those last crumbs dissipated, the last drop of water gone, the aspirin and pain meds gone?

It all came back to her welfare. If something were to happen to him, she was most certainly doomed, no matter how deep her sense of survival would push her forward toward rescue. Bottom line, she couldn’t walk; that, added to the thigh high snow, was a recipe for disaster, not to mention, hypothermia. Yes, she possessed a loaded firearm, and could defend herself, but for how long? And what about shelter? He shook his head, as if to rid himself of all that could happen out here, in the middle of winter, the cold, the snow. 

The nothingness. 

Everything pursuant to their state of peril seemed stacked against them. They were trapped on a goddamned mountain. How many miles would they have to trek in order to find any signs of life? He would build a fire, and hunt small game, if need be. 

Red’s priority, once they ventured from the shelter of the plane, was to find trees, which they’d find once they traveled further down the mountain. He’d build them a makeshift shelter from the nylon tent covering that protected them from the raging winds last night. 

Failure was not an option, never an option. He would get her home. He must, not only to hand her over to Keen, but to serve his own selfish reasons: he had a debt to repay ever since that night, many years ago. He didn’t come this far, protecting her all these years, to fail now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She was alone.

Elizabeth was awakened by the pain in her leg and cringed when she tried to move. Where was he?

Struggling to turn to her side, she spied a bottle of water, a small bag of trail mix and the bottle of pain medication. Silently thankful for his thoughtfulness, she managed to consume a mouthful of mixed nuts and raisins, then washed down the pills with a mouthful of water, mindful to swallow just enough, and conserve the rest. 

Theirs was a crucial situation, yet Reddington had never made her feel as if their situation was hopeless. On the contrary, she had gained faith from him, and hope filled her. How they would find help and be rescued, she had no clue, but working together would give them a better chance.

She allowed her thoughts to drift elsewhere for a moment: to Washington, where her fiancée, Tom, waited for her, not knowing if she was dead or alive.

She sniffed back tears, realizing she should have been celebrating her wedding, but not today. Maybe never. If they weren’t rescued, if her leg became infected, if they ran out of water…

“No!” She reprimanded herself. She refused to give in to despair. They were going to make it. She looked around her: she was alive, and she wasn’t alone. This man, this infamous criminal, a man described by some as a ‘monster’, had cared for her every moment since the crash. He’d set her leg, then shared everything he had with her. And she knew, deep in her heart, that he’d sacrifice his life for hers if need be.

No….she wasn’t going to die. They weren’t going to die. They would survive and she’d get home, marry Tom, and her leg would heal. She’d say goodbye to Raymond Reddington, and never tell a soul he’d saved her. No matter what they had to endure to get home, she would never turn him in.

Her decision made, she swallowed her tears, and forced herself to think only positive thoughts.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Good morning.”

And there he was, standing above her, strong and tall, covered from head to toe, protected from the elements. Now that they knew each other’s identity, she noticed his little head tilt, and couldn’t help presenting him with a tiny grin. “Good morning, Mr. Reddington.”

He nodded, “Agent Scott.”

“Elizabeth.” She corrected.

“Red.” He responded.

He pulled off his glove and reached down to shake her hand. “Even under these circumstances, allow me to say: Agent Scott, what a pleasure.”

“How do you know me?” She asked as he knelt at her side, taking the snack she offered him, popping a handful in his mouth. 

She deserved answers, and he would willingly give her what she wanted.

But not yet.

“How is your leg today?” He smoothly swerved from her casual inquiry. “Did you take the pain medication? Drink lots of water and eat from the sumptuous faire?”

She nodded. “My leg hurts, and yes, I drank and ate, and don’t think I haven’t noticed how deftly you dodged my question. I think I deserve an answer, Mr. Reddington, and since we’re going to be together for quite a long time, I’m not going to let you evade my questions, do you understand?”

Eyebrows raised, he bit the inside of his cheek, and nodded. “Perfectly. Now, lets get you up; I’m sure you need to relieve yourself. As you’ve already deduced, we can’t stay here forever. I’m in the process of constructing a sled for you, and if the weather holds, we’ll leave tomorrow. We need to get out of here and find help. And we will.”

She lifted her chin to challenge him. “And then, you will answer my questions.”

It was not a request, rather a demand, which brought on an amused chuckle. “I don’t see a way to evade them.” He leaned over to help her up. “Put your arms around me.”

He lifted her easily, yet the furrowing of his brow and the straight line of his mouth told her he was suffering. She couldn’t escape the fact that his hold on her stirred something, ever tiny and warm, in her heart. She encircled his neck and allowed him to embrace her. They made their way out into the cold winter landscape, a fresh coating of pristine snow surrounding them, beautiful, yet intimidating, dangerous, but primal, frigid, yet tranquil.

His hold was strong, yet gentle as he assisted her, then respectfully, left her to relieve herself, while he did the same on the opposite end of the aircraft. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He wouldn’t be able to escape the myriad of questions she had stored up, just for him, not for long anyway.

Had they not been in this predicament, he would have waited until their acquaintance had been cemented into at least, a friendship. But now, finding themselves in what could have been a disastrous situation, there was no escaping the fact that he had a past that involved her. So, he decided to tell her all he could without hurting her: and that involved, Sam, her parents, the fact that he, Red, had been watching her from the shadows since she was a young child, and of course, the fact that he’d been closely guarding her since she reached adulthood.

He was so very proud of her, his guardian angel, that dark-haired young sprite who’d pulled him from a fire, so many years ago.

Now it was his turn to save her life.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gathering all the supplies they could find, Red and Elizabeth prepare to venture out into the wilderness, determined to find help; meanwhile, emotions become something more as they depend on one another for survival.

Moments later he turned and looked at her, leaning against the broken ravaged aircraft, eyes closed, head tilted turned up toward the sky. He stopped in his tracks and allowed himself to admire her lovely, feminine profile and forget everything else around him – except her.

Elizabeth. The child who’d saved his life from the raging fire that had taken the life of her father, had become a woman. A beautiful, brave, intelligent woman who’d…..

Stop. Just stop. Now, his mind screamed in accordance with the pain in his head, which was unrelenting. But he didn’t care. He just continued to rest his eyes on her face, made porcelain by the glistening whiteness all around them.

Her hair had come out of its ponytail, and now trailed like mink waves over her shoulders, framing her lovely face perfectly.

And Raymond Reddington decided at that moment, to allow his heart to surrender all control, until he was rendered powerless.

In the short time they’d been together, she’d captured his heart, and hard as he might, found himself incapable of concealing his emotions. 

You’re a fool, his conscience reminded him. She is not yours to love, will never be yours. 

So, he settled for the fact that he would just have to be hers, even if she was unaware of that fact -- for the rest of her life. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She must have sensed his nearness, her eyes still closed and raised to the sun. “How is it you just happened to be at the airport the moment my flight was cancelled, Reddington?” 

Shoving his hands in his pockets, he squinted, seemed to ponder her question.

“And don’t tell me it was just coincidence.” She opened her eyes, then turned toward him, and demanded an answer. “Please don’t insult my intelligence.”

He took two steps closer to her, exhaled heavily, his breath creating a cloud of cold vapor between them. Answer her, his mind demanded. Tell her the truth. It was time. After all these years, it was time.

“Why don’t we go back inside; I’ll re-bandage your leg, and we’ll talk.”

“So, you did follow me.” It was not a question.

A moment’s hesitation, then, “Yes.”

“The question begs, why, Reddington? What would prompt a man on the FBI’s Most Wanted list to follow a rookie FBI agent? I think that’s a fair question, don’t you?”

She wasn’t angry, nor frightened, just curious. She demanded answers to her very valid questions. “Don’t forget, I may not be able to walk, but in your condition, I could probably wrestle you into the snow, and torture you until you give me the truth, broken leg and all.” She joked.

“Ah, yes, Agent Scott. I believe you would.” He nodded, only half serious.

Her self-satisfied smirk amused him. “Truce?”

“Indeed.”

“Talk, Reddington. We have all day, and we’re not going anywhere. You can run, but you can’t hide. Face it, we’re stuck with each other.”

Before he could take it back, he blurted, “You saved me, Elizabeth, many years ago. You saved my life, and this was my attempt to return a debt. Simple as that.”

She could have been knocked over with a feather. “What did you say?”

“You – you…..” His hand lifted to his head and he cringed and emitted a tiny moan. “I’m sor – sorry. My head – its….”

“Oh my God.” Elizabeth was close enough to grab his arm. “We need to get you back inside. Put your arm around me.” Her command brooked no refusal.

He didn’t answer, just took the assistance offered, while she hopped on one leg to steady them both. Somehow, she found a degree of strength she didn’t realize she possessed, then returned him to the aircraft, where they practically fell upon the blankets, exhausted.

“Lie down, Red.” She told him, pulling off his gloves and hat, while he silently obeyed. 

“I’m sorry, Elizabeth. There are aspirin in my coat pocket. Please….”

She nodded, and found the bottle, half empty. Shaking out 3 tablets, she lifted his head, placed the pills on his tongue, then grabbed the water, and helped him drink. “There. Close your eyes, and rest. The pain will ease in a bit.”

He needed medical assistance, and soon. How the hell was this man going to pull her down a mountain for God knows how long, when he could barely stand?

She settled herself beside him while he rested. Within moments, he was asleep, and she watched over him, making sure he continued to breathe. Her eyes settled over his handsome face, now covered with light stubble. His full lips set tight with discomfort, his chin, strong and masculine.

A ball of fear suddenly settled in her stomach. Not for her, not even for the fact that they might die together in this plane, with no possibility of rescue.

No. She was frightened that she’d never really grow to know this unique, fascinating man. A man who’d claimed his life she saved. She wanted to know everything about him.

In the meantime, she continued to watch him, lying on her side, and slid her arm across his chest in a display of protection. “Don’t worry; I’ll take care of you.” She whispered softly. “I’m here.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Elizabeth, wake up. It’s time to go.”

She opened her eyes to find him hovering over her, a smile that brightened his eyes, looking for all the world much better than he did a few hours before. 

“How do you feel?”

“I’m fine.” He answered simply. “The weather is clear, no wind, and I think we should start out.”

He obviously wasn’t ‘fine’, Elizabeth guessed, judging by the smile that he’d obviously feigned. But what was the alternative to staying here, in the plane? Running out of water, food, meds? Meeting a cold, inevitable death?

She only nodded, and, arms around each other, they stepped outside. The sun was shining, easing the bitter cold. Elizabeth gave silent thanks for this at least.

“So, what do you think?”

It was then she noticed the completed sled he’d constructed from broken pieces of wing, a chunk of seat foam for a pillow, and three seat belts to protect her from falling from the makeshift gurney.

“When did you finish this?” She was utterly, thoroughly, amazed by this man. Yesterday, he seemed to be at death’s door, and this morning, he looked absolutely….well, determined and strong, ready to venture out.

“During the night. The winds were calm, my headache had receded a bit, and I was able to draw light from the full moon, as well as a flashlight. A considerable accomplishment, if I do say so myself.”

“I have to admit, if I need to be stranded hundreds of miles from nowhere, I’m glad that its with someone who’s obviously has had years of survival experience.”

He looked up at the sky, took a deep breath, and willed his near constant nausea to subside. “By now, the transponder will have sent a signal to our location. But we must be on our way. This location won’t exactly be easy to find.” Was all he said in answer. 

Silently hoping that Dembe was already gathering a rescue party and mapping a way to find them, hope dug deep inside his heart, and refused to let go.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He’d wasted no time in searching the length and breadth of the cabin, gathering anything and everything they’d need to stuff into two backpacks, their pockets, and Elizabeth’s luggage. He didn’t know or imagine how long before being rescued. The temperatures were a bit above freezing, and that, in and of itself, was good news. If the wind picked up, and it would eventually, the elements would indeed, encumber them. He’d be able to build them primitive shelter for rest and sleep. Red knew, from experience, that they wouldn’t be able to survive an interminable amount of time with Mother Nature knocking at their door at every turn.

He began in the mangled cabin and worked his way through the wreck of twisted metal and wires, strewn around the aircraft. He left no stone unturned, until he came up with the supplies they required. He was thankful for his resourceful tendencies, having learned much in the Navy. Packing their cells, guns, along with flare guns, lighters, the flashlight, and a pair of walkie-talkies, he used the second backpack for snacks, even gum and mints, water, and first aid, then he found her piece of rolling luggage, which he would tie behind the sled, filling it with their clothes. They certainly would require dry socks and such during their journey. The twin nylon bags were now packed tight with life-saving supplies. 

He’d hadn’t set off a single flare since the crash. He needed to save the four he had, wanted to wait until they were further down the mountain, and more likely to be seen by rescue teams.

Packed to the brim, there was one more thing he refused to leave behind: a nearly full bottle of scotch that he’d use for pain, when they ran out of the meds he now stuffed in his parka pocket. 

In his estimation, they could survive perhaps another five to seven days, if they rationed all they had. He would also After that, he could make snares to catch small game. If they were lucky enough to find a stream and catch fish, the protein would provide them with much needed strength their bodies required to face another day.

He silently recalled the time he’d been stranded on an island after deep sea fishing many years before. He’d been bitten by a lionfish. Recalling the excruciating pain and thinking death was imminent, he’d been rescued by land gypsies. As he recovered, they’d taught him how to catch fish and spear predators with just the sharp branch of a tree. 

He hadn’t told Elizabeth that he’d vomited twice as he’d constructed the sled. No need to worry her. The pain, for the moment, was bearable. He didn’t know how long that would last. They had to leave now in order to eat up a good distance before they stopped for the day.

He gently settled her into the makeshift gurney, noticing that she was in discomfort, and administered a pain killer, assisting her to take a sip of water. She hadn’t once complained, and to be honest, he’d expected nothing less from her. 

Bundling her in the myriad of blankets, covering her with Dembe’s large, heavy parka, he made sure her hat covered her head and ears. A woolen scarf protected her neck and chest, and her hands were shoved into thermal gloves.

“How does that feel?” He asked, with raised eyebrows.

She looked up at him. “I feel like a burrito.” 

She drew a tiny chuckle from him. “You’re going to be thankful for that in several hours.”

He settled Elizabeth back into her warm nest, then dug in his jacket pockets for some trail mix and dried fruit, along with a few small packs of crumbled crackers, sharing them with Elizabeth. It wasn’t much, but it would fill her stomach, and keep her from dehydrating. She needed all the strength she could muster if she was going to endure the long days ahead.

Elizabeth watched from her place among her heavy covering, feeling helpless. She lay prone, like a hapless lump of clay.

“There has to be something I can do.” She stated, crunching on a stale cracker.

He turned to her. “Look at me Elizabeth.” He squatted beside her, gently commanding her attention.

“We are going to get out of here and we are going to be found.” He began. “No doubt the authorities have already received the signal from the black box, wherever it may be, probably buried in the snow. We’ll travel as far as we can today; the weather is with us: no wind, temperatures above freezing, and clear skies. I don’t want you to worry. Do you understand?”

She searched his eyes, delved into those green orbs for a sign of anything other than total faith in his own words. She saw hope, and determination. And in that moment, she knew, that they would endure this experience.

“I understand.” She choked down her tears, touched his gloved hand and squeezed, grateful every moment for this man. “I’m ready. Let’s go.”

“Courage is an admirable, but rare quality, especially when one is staring at mortal danger in the face. However, you have shown to be a lioness in that regard.” His smile was genuine and filled with pride. 

“Thank you.” She murmured. 

He left her for long moments, returning to the plane for the last of the supplies, until nothing was forgotten. 

As she waited for him, she gave a thought to the man named Raymond Reddington.

Who was this man the authorities called, ‘monster’ and the ‘concierge of crime’? A man who’d allegedly amassed an unimaginable criminal empire over a span of over thirty years ago? A long-time criminal who’d allegedly sold government secrets to the enemy? A traitor to his country? 

Yes, she’d learned that he was indeed, a dangerous man, not to mention, insanely clever, highly intelligent, resourceful and self-serving; high-handed and in control of all around him.

But a ‘monster’? 

He’d prepared her for the impact, saved her life, tended to her wound, made sure she was warm and dry, fed her, gave her pain medication that he could have secured for himself. My God, she thought; he’d helped her pee and brushed her hair, threading through the knots, fashioned her long locks in a neat ponytail to keep it secure and out of her face. Was that the nature of a ‘monster’?

The answer was simple: No.

Yet, the same question rolled over and over in her mind in a movie-like loop:

And why was it so important to her, to know him…really know him?

But an even more questionable, and puzzling question dug at her: why had she not been thinking of Tom more? Why was she not devastated that she’d missed her own wedding? The man had to be struggling with certain grief at the loss of her, so….. 

And why, why, was she so fascinated by the man who was at the top of FBI’s Most Wanted list? Why, in less than 48 hours, had they fallen into a comfortable routine, comfortable with one another, working together to work toward being rescued?

She shook her head, all answers evading her. And then he reappeared, and she pushed all questions from her mind. 

“Well, that’s the last of it. Take this.” He told her, handing over her firearm. “Keep it at your side. If we should be unfortunate enough to be approached by a predator, you know what to do. If anything wishes to attack, it likely will happen after dark, but just in case….”

Elizabeth just nodded and took her gun, resting it by her right side. They were as prepared as they were ever going to be.

“I’ll fire off the first of our flares after we’ve settled for the night.” He announced. 

Elizabeth looked for any sign of weakness or pain, but she saw nothing, nothing except a man who seemingly knew his way through nature’s unforgiving wilderness. 

He stood, straight and tall, and without another word, he turned from her, boots buried over his knees, then made his way to the front of the sled that carried his precious cargo. Taking the thick rope that he’d fastened as a sort of looped leash in order to pull her along the ice and snow, he placed one end over his shoulder, the other under his arm, and together, they ventured out into the unknown. 

Taking one look behind him, he managed a hopeful smile in her direction. “You’re going to be okay, Lizzie. Are you ready?”

“Yes.” She answered him, locking eyes with his for a moment, her heart filled with unspoken emotions at the man who’d become, in the last hours, her lifeline, her savior.

Her everything.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank all who are reading, especially through the summer months, when many of you are so busy with family and fun and sun!! I appreciate every one of you for your support of our ship; I've ventured off the 'canon' path as I always do in my stories, and in future chapters, you'll see I've kind of molded the night of the 'fire' to suit my AU needs and wants. The end result will always and forever be: Lizzington. <3


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Red and Elizabeth face the powerful elements in the mountain wilderness, secret desires and hidden emotions begin to surface; questions demand answers amidst Red's head injury, which intensifies and threatens his life - and their very survival.

They said little the first several miles or so. It was hard to know how far they’d traveled, and Red would stop occasionally to take deep breaths against his pain, then check the compass on his watch. They were following the sun, but with all the snow and the altitude, it was difficult to know if they’d gone a mile, or a dozen.

The weather, for the most part, held up, and the sun shone, raising the temps to well past the freezing mark, for which Red was grateful. He wanted Elizabeth to keep warm and comfortable, until he could settle them both for the night. His survival skills were admirable, and if the weather stayed within the bearable range, he was confident he’d get them down this mountain where he would find help. 

Elizabeth slept for much of their journey through the afternoon. For hours, Red pulled the sled containing his precious cargo. He was tiring, mostly because of the pain in his head, and pulling the sled impeded his strength. With every step, his boots sunk into the softly packed snow, which reached past his knee. 

The only hope he harbored was that the black box from the plane was being tracked at this very moment, and soon, Dembe and his team would find them. That didn’t stop him from moving swiftly and purposefully. He had to get Elizabeth to safety, warmth and home. She’d been so brave through all this, and he could not be prouder of her.

He tamped down a bout of nausea as he pulled the sled that held his reason for moving on.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Elizabeth ignored her own pain as she sensed his discomfort, whether it was a result of his concussion, or the weight he dragged, she couldn’t tell. Every time the sled hit a snag in the snow or a tiny ridge, her leg suffered the brunt of the impact. Ever since they’d left the shelter of the plane this morning, she’d fought her fear, forcing herself to slow down her adrenaline of panic. They only had each other to depend on, and right now, she needed to lessen his burden. 

She needed to try and walk and needed to find a way to take the weight from him.

“Can we stop for a bit?”

He turned and faced her, his body tensing. “Of course, we can. Are you cold? Do you want some water?”

She shook her head. “You need to take a break.” Her breath exhaled on a trail of cool vapor. 

He didn’t argue with her. “You need some water, and I want to check your leg.”

“My leg is fine; thanks to you.” She said pointedly.

Fifty or so yards away, he’d found a plateau, surrounded by trees, with a stream running by the side of a small ridge. 

“Thank God.” He proclaimed aloud as he took long strides toward his objective.

“What is it?”

He turned to her. “A stream, which means fish.”

She exhaled a small cry of triumph, while her mouth watered, just thinking about food: real food, instead of nuts and raisins.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

An hour later, he lifted her from the sled, and settled her under a thick pine that somewhat blocked the wind. They shared a trout that Red had caught and cooked with the barest of necessities: a few twigs, a flat rock, and a cigarette lighter; it was the most delicious feast Elizabeth had ever enjoyed.

“You are like a modern-day MacGyver.” She told him, while taking another bite Red offered her. 

“I don’t know what that is.” He told her, taking a tiny sip of water, then handing her the bottle.

She allowed herself a chuckle. “It’s a person who can survive on only what he has on hand. I wonder what other wonders you have tucked away in the backpack to help us survive.”

She watched him squint, even wearing his sunglasses, she could tell his headache was still in play, and turned serious. “You need medical help.” She reached up her gloved hand and touched his cheek to emphasize her words, meeting his eyes that he’d hidden behind those amber-tinted sunglasses.

He ignored her, which was becoming quite a habit and one that Elizabeth was becoming quite used to.

Opting to change the subject, she voiced the words that she’d been aching to ask him since the moment they’d met.  
“You knew me.”

He disguised his shock at her statement as best he could, but she wouldn’t be fooled. “I suspect a man like you has many secrets. I knew who you were. The question now is: were you following me? How did you know where I was on New Year’s Eve? Do you know me, somehow? Please….” She urged him quietly, her expression sincere and hard to resist.

He tucked her blanket up to her neck, and thought about ignoring her once more, or even lying. But meeting the warmth in those blue eyes, he knew he’d never lie to her, no matter what. “I knew your father.”

She may have expected many answers, but this was not one of them. Eyes wide with surprised awe. “Sam? You knew Sam? How? How long? Did you know me as a child? Why didn’t I know about you all these years? It was no coincidence that you were at the airport that day; you were following me. Why?”

“Don’t you ask a lot of questions?” He joked, while she waited for an answer. It seemed he could deny her nothing.

He heaved a sigh of surrender, then picked his words carefully. “Many years ago, I was, well, involved in some unmentionable activities.” He scoffed, lessening the gravity of his statement. “No need to go into that now. Suffice to say, Elizabeth, when you were four, there was a fire….”

Elizabeth nearly choked on the water. “What? The fire? You were there that night? The night my real father – died?”

He took the bottle from her, adjusted her scarf, then pulled her hat more firmly over her ears. The wind was whipping up a bit, and with dusk approaching, temps would drop significantly. But his stalling tactic did not work.

“Answer me, Reddington.”

A breath, eyes closed to gather his thoughts while his head throbbed. “Yes, I was there. Do you recall anything about that night, Elizabeth?”

He was treading on dangerous ground, revealing too much for his liking, but he so enjoyed talking to her, realizing how brave she was, sitting on a snowy mountain, thousands of miles from her home, with a criminal. If, for some reason, they didn’t survive, he owed her the truth of what happened that night.

“Yes. Yes, I was there. Your parents – they were having a heated argument…”

She nodded adamantly. “I wanted to run each time they fought; I hated when they raised their voices. But I loved them both; I did.”

“I know you did.”

“They didn’t survive, I remember that.”

“No, they didn’t.” He wasn’t about to tell her that she shot and killed her father, and that her mother ran in fear for herself, after convincing Red that he must save her beloved daughter, to bring her to Sam for safety.

“Then how did you survive? How did I get out of there alive? Oh my God, you saved me – is that it? You took me out of there and brought me to Sam?”

Red stood at that point, wanting the conversation to end, but he would tell her the truth, and then, they had to move on, find better shelter before the sun set, and the temperature dropped to single digits. He bit his inner cheek, then slid his tongue across his lips, taking great care to voice his next words. “No, Elizabeth, I didn’t save you….”

As her expression changed from curiosity to one of confusion, he approached her, leaned down and fought the nausea that rose within him. “Put your arms around my neck. We need to go. Now.”

“Tell me.”

As he lifted her, then placed her on the sled, he met her eyes. Their faces so close, they absorbed the cool vapor from each other as they took a breath. “You saved me, Lizzie. You grabbed your bunny with one hand, took mine in the other, then led me, like a warrior leading her troops, from that house. I swore from that day on, I’d protect you; keep you safe, no matter where you were, or where life took you.”

Before releasing her hold on him, she swallowed a sob that caught in her throat, then grabbed him tighter.

“Maybe, just maybe, we saved each other.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

No words passed between them for hours after that. Red checked his compass, then continued to pull her, over ridges and tiny outcroppings of rock, searching for any form of shelter where they could camp for the night.

Dusk fell, and he shivered from the oncoming evening wind; She had blessedly fallen asleep, and he’d covered her thoroughly. He had, once more, checked her leg, and thankfully, it was no worse. Her fracture was most likely, hairline, and hopefully, would heal nicely with professional medical care.

Their conversation had weighed heavily on his mind. He’d told her the truth, but had, admittedly, left out a myriad of details of her childhood: of her parents, their life, their profession in life, and of course, the way they both died.

In Red’s mind, there was no need to dredge all that up now. It would serve no earthly good. They were dead, gone, and she was alive, safe, in order that she could get on with her life, and he would never stop protecting her for the rest of his life. 

She was stronger than she thought, and with time and experience, she would someday become an important part of the organization she so nobly served.

Too bad she’d share that life with Tom Keen.

A light snow began to drift toward them by nightfall, and finally, he realized he couldn’t walk another step. He barely made it to a grove of thick trees where the low hanging branches would serve to shelter them for the night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A low growl broke the silence of the cold, bitter night. Red’s keen sense of hearing told him that he and Elizabeth were surrounded by predators.

She was sleeping still, fitfully and he hated to disturb her, yet he needed her to be on alert. “Elizabeth.” He whispered in her ear. When she stirred, he slid his gloved hand over her mouth. “Not a sound. Look at me.”

She turned, met his eyes, and nodded slightly.

“Wolves; three, maybe more. Don’t move.”

She swallowed, then blinked once, telling him she understood.

Another growl and Elizabeth tightly shut her eyes, grabbed his hand, and demanded her heartbeat to steady.

The fire he’d built earlier had burned out, so Red reached for the only defense he possessed: his Glock.

Pulling it slowly, purposefully from his deep parka pocket, he aimed it toward the sky, then shot off six rounds, with the desired effect.

With a deep sigh of relief, he heard the sounds of their predator’s departure, scared off by the shots that had split the night. He lay deathly still, until the last set of paws ran off into the night.

Taking a deep, cleansing breath, his heart still racing and adrenalin moving through his veins, Red turned to Elizabeth. “They’re gone, but not for long. We must get moving. Keep your gun at your side.”

Elizabeth fought for composure and hated herself when her voice trembled as she spoke. “How d-did you know the shots would f-frighten them away?”

He turned toward her, managed a comforting smile. “It’s a long story; someday I’ll tell you about my time in Alaska and the Iditarod.” His smile quickly turned serious. “We need to move, Elizabeth.”

He helped her rise from his side. “Yes. We do.”

The air was cold as she fastened her knit hat and doubled the length of woolen scarf around her neck. She checked to make sure Red was covered as well. It would do no good for either of them to suffer from frostbite. The thought chilled her to the bone.

No more was said as he gathered their tent shelter, blankets, while she grabbed a sip of water, then handed the rest of the bottle to him. He doled out aspirin to them both, fastened her in the sled, and within moments, they were on their way.

As he pulled her across an icy ridge, he was ever vigilant. The wolves were gone, for now, but if they decided to return, picked up their scent, Red knew he would have to resort to more than just gun shots pointed at the sky in an effort to scare them away. If they were hungry enough, desperate enough, they would not be deterred by random gun shots. Hopefully, the fallen snow and windy conditions would help cover their scent.

Looking back at Elizabeth, who, with her gun by her side, looked around her, vigilant and like a true FBI agent, took in her surroundings, aware of the danger that may lurk in the white nothingness of their landscape.

Pride filled him, along with another emotion that would not put a name to, so he ignored the sensation and continued to pull her. 

But the fact remained: They needed to find help or shelter.

The alternative was unthinkable.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Elizabeth’s heart finally settled down to a normal rate. The presence of those wolves had frightened her beyond comprehension, but she dared not show it.

Reddington had known exactly how to deal with the crisis, and thankfully, they’d ran off into the darkness. But she was no fool. They’d be back when night fell once more. What happened when there was no more ammunition? How much longer would they have to trek through this eternal white-out before help arrived? What if they found themselves caught in a blizzard and no shelter to be found?

She fought back tears that threatened. No, she told herself; don’t fall apart. It won’t do either of us any good. She watched Red’s back, straining his body as he pulled her forward, over ridges and through snow that was high enough to reach his thighs.

He’d turn to check on her every few miles, smile at her, then turn back and continue. He was relentless in his mission to tread through these mountains and back to civilization. 

She hated herself for being so helpless, for having him drag her while he was, himself, suffering an apparent concussion. She was beginning to understand this man, who just days before, was a complete and utter stranger.

She wanted, no, needed more answers from him, but she’d wait. This was not the time, or the place. But get them, she would. Nothing mattered more than her faith in the fact that the black box had sent a signal back to the powers that be. Any time now, a plane or helicopter was on the way to she and Reddington. Looking up to the sky, she blinked away a single tear, and whispered a silent prayer.

“Hurry. Please hurry.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She had no idea how long, or how far they’d gone, when Red stopped, and turned toward her.

“Are you okay, Reddington? What’s wrong?”

He made his way toward her. “A grove of trees up ahead. We’ll have added shelter tonight, Elizabeth. Maybe a half mile.”

He squatted beside her, touched her arm. “How are you doing? Much pain?”

She covered his hand with her own. “I’m fine, really.” She smiled at him, wishing he’d remove his sunglasses so that she could see his eyes. “I could ask you the same thing. How’s the headache? And don’t lie to me.” 

Choosing to ignore her as he’d done frequently during their trek, he stood, and stared up at the sky. “More snow on the way.”

More snow.

Elizabeth swallowed hard. “It’s going to get colder tonight, isn’t it?”

He turned toward her once more, and just nodded. Then stepped back to the helm of the sled and set out once more.

Snow had begun to descend by the time they made it to the stand of blue spruce. Dense, low hanging branches would provide additional shelter, and combined with their tent covering, should be enough for them to survive the night. 

“The dense branches will keep out much of the wind and conceal us from much of the snow as well.” 

For the first time in hours, Elizabeth felt uplifted by his announcement, watching him as he pulled her deeper into the grove. She could tell by the hunch of his shoulders and halting steps through the deepening cluster that he had reached his limit. The man was exhausted.

“I think this location will do fine for tonight, Elizabeth; what do you think?”

As he leaned over to lift her from the sled, she took a moment to encircle his wide shoulders, burrowing herself into his jacket. “You need to rest.” She told him, allowing herself to hold onto him for a moment more, needing his strength and contact to get her through this ordeal.

“I’m not going to argue with you.” He spoke into the crook of her neck, relishing the feel of her, wanting to keep her warm and safe, needing to protect her from all harm. He dared to hold her closer, and for what seemed an eternity, they just stood there, in the center of life saving greenery. They needed no words, only the warmth of each other, for the moment, for a second, just to – feel.

Don’t let go, she thought, as her cheek rose and touched his own. Elizabeth closed her eyes, savoring the closeness of this man.

As if he’d heard her silent plea, he leaned away, but didn’t break his hold on her. “Elizabeth…..”

She lifted her head, removed his sunglasses, slipped them in her pocket. She had to see his eyes, needed the visual contact. “I – I…”

What was she about to say? Red searched her lovely sapphire orbs, wanting to answer her, smile at her.

Kiss her.

He swallowed hard, waiting for her to do, say, anything. He would never take advantage of this situation. But, in the midst of this peril, trapped in this hell, knowing they may never be found but never daring to voice his doubt, he waited.

“Please….” The single word spoke volumes.

Closing her eyes through the tears that she now allowed to ribbon down her cool, flushed cool cheeks, Red slowly leaned down to meet the heaven that were her lips.

That first touch stirred him, shook him, made him tremble, and as she tilted her head back to give him deeper access, he couldn’t help himself but press his mouth fully to engage in a kiss he never realized he craved with his entire being, until this very moment in time.

A tiny moan escaped her throat, and he pressed deeper, as she responded to his touch. 

Heat and arousal burned him, desire stirred him on, but another tiny voice within him told him to stop now, for in a moment more, he’d not be able to hold back from taking what she offered.

He broke the kiss, reluctantly, with much difficulty, because what he really wanted was to make love to her, under the trees and snow filled sky, bury himself inside her heat, tell her that he’d been in love with her since her college years, before she’d entered FBI training.

But he didn’t dare. Danger and the fear of death had heightened their emotions, causing them to act reckless, taking desperate chances.

She said nothing when he pulled away, yet their eyes remained locked on the other. They shared another intimate moment, then he set about making camp, while she managed to hop on one foot, creating a nest of blankets and coats over a dry spot of ground. 

In silence, comfortable with each other by this time, they unpacked supplies, water, meds, while Red built a fire from loose twigs he’d foraged. He also fastened the tent like cover in a manner that cocooned them within the branches and nylon, safe from the elements.

And, just in time, they settled in, together, sharing nuts and crackers, consuming just enough to erase their pangs of hunger. It didn’t escape Red’s notice that they were dangerously low on sustenance. He’d have to set out in the morning, to set snares, hopefully find another stream and snag a fish or two.

The wind began to roar and whistle through the trees, while a whipping whirlpool of snow descended upon them. Without a word, Red turned on his side, and took her in his arms, and together, they lay, side by side, practically nose to nose, listening to the relentless attack upon their shelter, each lost in their own thoughts.

Red felt her shiver, and he suspected it was not from the cold - but fear.

He needed to distract her from the storm which threatened their lives, even in this sheath of protection he’d constructed for them.

“I’ve been watching over you, ever since the night of the fire…” He began.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the weather worsens and their situation grows dire, Red reveals some truths to Elizabeth concerning her childhood, her parents....and the night of the fire.

“What do you mean, ‘watching over me’?” Her brows furrowed, her eyes focused on his, unblinking, questioning.

His hesitation gave her a chance to continue. “You’ve been following me for over twenty-five years? Why? Were you stalking me? Come on, Reddington, you opened this can of worms.”

The winds whipped up around them, and Red watched as the nylon shelter he’d protected them with, waved and fluttered against the tempest that surrounded them. “You wanted answers. What better time and place to put some of those answers into perspective.” She wanted to rail at him, strike him, hate him for keeping track of her in secret these many years. But, try as she might, she was unable to gather the strength to feel anything a trace of anger for his manner of backhanded betrayal and secrecy all this time. 

She took several deep breaths to contain what little rage she felt toward him, then exhaled in puffs of cold vapor. She could think of only one word to ask him: 

“Why.”

Her teeth chattered, and she finally blinked, perhaps to shake away the fear that gripped her. Freezing to death, under a tree in the Colorado wilderness had not been any part of her bucket list. 

Red noticed her controlled anger, saw the darkness in those twin orbs of blue, and couldn’t blame her. He’d never planned to reveal his secret to her, not until they’d been better acquainted, at least. But, in their situation, coming to the realization that if they weren’t rescued soon, if his concussion worsened, what did he have to lose?

She expected answers. She deserved answers. Yet knowing that many of those answers would hurt her, possibly traumatize and frighten her, forced him to make certain decisions. He’d never lie to her, that was not an option. He refused to risk their blossoming closeness, an urgent intimacy he hadn’t counted on, but welcomed, all the same.

“I’ll tell you what I can, Elizabeth.” Her teeth were chattering, and he ached to hold her, to bring her warmth. He held out his arms to her, and she accepted his offer of added warmth. 

She huddled close to him, taking solace in his closeness, feeling safe, even though the vicious gale on the other side of that sheet of nylon was the only thing that kept them from turning into popsicles. They were buried beneath a half dozen layers of blankets and coats, physically close as two people could be. She could feel the cold on her nose, certain her eyelashes had formed frost. “How long do you think this will last?”

He brought his arm around her, letting it rest over her back. “A moment; an hour….all night.”

It was silly of her to ask for a prediction.

“Now, what do you want to know?”

“How did you know my parents? Did you work with them? For them?” Oh my God, were they involved in criminal activities? Please tell me.”

He had to speak over the roar of the winds, while the snow pelted the branches above them. “We did business in Russia, a very long time ago.” He began, determined to keep her interest and focus on his voice, not on the treacherous weather and temps outside of their shelter.

“Your father and I usually held our meetings late at night, long after you were asleep – or were supposedly in bed.” He mused, biting the inside of his cheek, knowing he had her attention. “It was close to Christmas, on this one particular evening, your parents had been arguing, quite vehemently; obviously, their brash disagreement awakened you.”

Red paused, gauging Elizabeth’s reaction. Had he gone too far? Said too much?

“Go on.” She urged quietly.

He squinted, choking back nausea. “Your father had been drinking; must have been two or three in the morning; I tried to stop them, quiet them down. Your mother had decorated a lovely, very tall pine tree. I believe she’d mentioned that your favorite part of Christmas was climbing on your father’s shoulders and placing the angel at the top. Do you remember that, Elizabeth?”

A sad smile marred her lovely features. “Mother and I would bake gingerbread cookies, and we’d wait for dad to come home to share with him. But most nights, he didn’t come home, and if he did, he was too drunk to pay attention to either of us. I had no idea you knew them. I don’t remember you.”

“Why would you? You were very, very young.” Red told her, as Elizabeth nodded in agreement.

“You’re not going to tell me what sort of business the three of you were involved in, are you?”

Red pushed an errant strand of hair that had escaped her hood, back under her knit cap. “What does it matter now? All that matters, is that you saved me that night.”

Almost forgetting this was the case, and how Red knew her, she stared into his eyes. “How on earth could a four-year-old save a grown man?”

“In the midst of their verbal battle, your father threw the tumbler holding the scotch into the Christmas tree, which toppled over, breaking many, if not all, glass ornaments that you and your mother so painstakingly placed on the fragile branches.”

Elizabeth seemed to hold her breath, waiting for Red to continue.

“On the way down, the tree hit a table that contained lit candles. The alcohol fueled the fire, and the flames very quickly caught onto the draperies, the rug, and the sofa.”

“No!” Elizabeth gasped, shaking her head.

Red sensed her distress, then caressed her cheek in a comforting gesture. “Shall I stop?”

She grabbed his hand and shook her head as if letting the memories escape. “Smoke. So much smoke. I heard the fight, came into the room, and saw the flames. I was holding my favorite stuffed bunny.”

Red simply nodded, one brow raised, allowing her to continue.

She averted her eyes, appearing to stare into the distance, as if she could see the past, then gasped. “I heard a shot; no, maybe it was just the crash of the tree to the floor, the ornaments shattering. Dad grabbed her, wouldn’t stop shaking her! Yes, now I – I remember.”

“The smoke, I – I could barely see through the smoke. I called out for my mom, couldn’t find her…”

“That’s enough for tonight, Elizabeth.” Red knew he’d gone too far. She would remember. It was all there, the vicious, stark truth, struggling to crawl to the surface.

“There was something on the floor; I picked it up. It was my bunny.” She shook her head. “No, no, it was black and big and heavy, and I picked it up.” Her gaze shot to Red, who said nothing. 

She held his hand, tighter; it all made sense now. “Oh my God!” She exclaimed, searching his eyes, waiting for him to tell her – what would he tell her?

“I shot him! Oh my God, Red, I shot my father so he wouldn’t hurt Momma! What did I do?”

She fell into Red’s arms, and he held her close, kissed her hair, comforted her. “Shh, it’s alright, Lizzie. I took care of it all. I did.”

“Oh, Red.” Her sobs cracked open his heart, as her heaving breaths pushed into his chest. “I killed him….I killed my father.”

“How did I get you out of there? I was a child and –”

Red finished her thought. “I called out to you, through the choking fog of smoke, and you took my hand as I struggled to focus. I picked you up, and together, with your precious bunny, we barely made it out of the house. You saved me Elizabeth. You did, and for that, I’m forever in your debt.”

Something she said must have jarred another memory. She looked down at her right hand, pulled off her glove, to reveal a reddish/pink scar on her inside wrist, smooth and puckered. 

“May I see it?” Red asked.

He gently took the hand she presented, brought it to his lips, and tenderly placed a loving kiss to the charred flesh, silently thanking her for sharing that part of her young life with him.

“I can barely remember them now.” She pulled on her glove, and closed her eyes, struggling to tune out the wind’s intensity. “Then it must have been you who took me to Sam… and….”

“We’ll talk more about Sam another time, Lizzie.”

“Hmm. My – my mother. What happened to my mother? Dad is gone, but…mom….”

Red remembered burying her father’s body, never to be found; her mother ran from the scene that night, but not before screaming out to Red: ‘save my baby’! He would spare Elizabeth additional details about her parents; Katarina entered the ocean years later in Cape May, gone forever. He didn’t have the heart to tell Lizzie this truth, however; it was too cruel to mention.

But Red remembered that night as if it were yesterday. The house had been very old, the flames punished it quickly and severely, never to be salvaged. The secrets the three of them shared that night, would never be revealed. It was bad enough she remembered shooting her father. 

The fight had started when Katarina Rostova had finally revealed to her husband that she wanted ‘out’ of their profession, wanted to run away, bring their beloved daughter with them, where no one would ever find them.

At the time, Red’s criminal empire was in its infancy, his power growing stronger each day. He and Elizabeth’s parents were planning a dangerous coup that could have resulted in certain death. Elizabeth would have been found and not spared, child or no. The fire put an end to all of Red’s plans. Identities were erased, then resurrected as new personalities. After the carnage was done and over, Red and Elizabeth had held on to the other, escaped the house ravaged by unforgiving flames, and began new lives. Ilya Koslov and Masha Rostova had transformed into Raymond Reddington and Elizabeth Scott. 

Since that fateful night, Red truly believed that Elizabeth was destined to be part of his life for all time. Not only was Elizabeth’s scar a reminder of the tragedy that had befallen them all, but Red’s back was so badly burned as a result, he barely survived. Thank God for Sam, who took Elizabeth into his home and cared for her, then becoming her true father.

Was it necessary for Elizabeth to know everything that led up to that night? No.

All her life, he’d been near, anonymous and invisible, keeping her safe, watching her from the shadows. And after she graduated college, decided to become a law enforcement officer, join the FBI Academy, Red’s discreet guardianship had developed into something far more intense

Love.

“Shh, try to rest now, sweetheart.” Red dared to kiss her cheek, then settled his face beside hers, craving her closeness. He was deeply exhausted and his last thought as he followed her into slumber, was a silent prayer they would survive the storm-tossed night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Under gray skies, Red opened his eyes to find that the snowstorm proved relentless. How long before the windswept branches collapsed under the weight of the snow? How long could they stay here? How much longer before rescue arrived? Would they live another day? Another Hour? 

“Red? Red are you okay?”

He turned toward her, his angel, his brave warrior, and managed a reassuring smile. “Little headache.” He made light of the pounding in his head, not wanting to worry her. “Just planning to set some snares. I won’t sugar coat our situation, Elizabeth: we need food, and soon. I want you to stay here, warm and safe, gun at your side. I’ll return as soon as I can.”

“Thank you for telling me about…about that night. I don’t blame you. If you hadn’t been there…well, you know.”

Her words, spoken in quiet desperation, filled him with a deep, and burgeoning love, made him tremble with growing regret that they may die out here, without ever really knowing each other. 

She gave him a reassuring nod. “I can understand now why you’ve protected me all these years. I’m still a bit pissed at you for not revealing yourself to me, but I guess I can understand why.”

A deep sigh escaped him, relieved that he’d told her the truth…however….

“But I hope you don’t think that I believe that’s all there is. You’ve only given me half-truths.” She proclaimed, giving him a crooked smile that told him she was no fool. “When this is all over, and we’re rescued, and we will be rescued, I will expect you to fill in all the gaps. That’s not debatable.”

When Red provided no answer, she pressed. “Deal?”

Red would do anything to placate her, especially through the dizziness, which had returned in force. “Deal.” He agreed.

“I’ll be fine,” she whispered, pulling off a glove and running her hand over his stubble. “You look like a mountain man and I must say, it’s very becoming.”

He took her hand, kissed her palm, then held it tight for a moment, savoring her softness, her touch. If she only knew how deeply he cared for her…

“Stay safe.” He released her hand, winked at her, but ached for more. After a small pause, he dared lean into her, then pressed a kiss to her full lips. A kiss that promised much, that spoke so many words.

He rose from the nest of blankets, grabbed his gun and flares, turned and gave her one last look, then stepped from beneath the sheltered nest of low-lying branches.

The storm was nearly blinding once he stepped out into the open. Ignoring the pain in his head, he went about trudging into the distance. His boots crunched as they burrowed into the nearly three feet of snow, adding to the unrelenting, biting winds as they sliced his face and body with a vengeance. He shot off a flare for what it was worth and gazed at the overcast gray/white sky that informed him this storm would seriously impede any sort of air rescue.

He managed to set five snares as he followed the tree line, taking notice and counting the distance back to Elizabeth. Suddenly, the intensity of the wind created a powerful gust that crashed into him, obstructing his vision, turning him around, leaving him dizzy and lightheaded. Disoriented, he stumbled and fell, his boots severely embedded in what could easily prove to be his icy grave. 

“Damn it!” He cried out, refusing to sink deeper into the now raging, voracious, unforgiving landscape. If not for his heavy outer clothing, he’d certainly be dead within minutes. Knowing that he wouldn’t have much time before the elements defeated him and his strength ebbed, he needed to return to Elizabeth. 

Gathering all the strength he could muster, knowing her life depended on him, he straightened himself, used his strong forearms to push his body from the icy bank. He stood with much difficulty, straining to see through the gale, then blinked a half dozen times until something materialized through the whirling tempest, something dark and imposing, standing in the distance.

He couldn’t believe his eyes. Had the storm created a mirage that his mind had imagined?

No. It was real.

A structure of some kind. And his strength of will rose, along with a burgeoning sense of hope. 

A cabin.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Red has found shelter for himself and Elizabeth; While using their body heat to keep warm, the tiny cabin brings a degree of passion and intimacy both of them never expected, but is now very welcome. However, with predators on their very doorstep, how will they survive another day?

Elizabeth waited. And waited.

“Where are you, Red?”

It had been more than an hour since he left her, and Elizabeth began to worry. Her heart raced and her mind played all types of tricks on her.

What if he was dead? What if the wolves had returned and attacked him?

“No. He’ll be back.”

She rose and leaned on the tree, putting a bit of weight on her leg. “Shit, that hurts!” She exclaimed, refusing to be defeated. She had to find him. If he didn’t return in a few more minutes, she’d hop on one leg if she had to, but she wouldn’t leave him out there, alone, to die.

Digging into one of the backpacks he’d left behind, she found another length of bandage, and wound it around her leg, tight and snug.

Then she grabbed her gun, dragged her leg behind her, and left the shelter of the trees, determined to find him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He saw her coming from the grove, backpack over her shoulders, dragging her leg behind her, bundled like the ‘burrito’ she mentioned earlier. He managed a tiny chuckle as he struggled to reach her.

She was the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen.

And he knew, in that moment, that no matter what happened, he’d love her until his dying day.

She was on her way to search for him.

The wind obscured her form, made for a blurry figure, but he trudged his way toward her. “Elizabeth!”

She exhaled openly and cried out his name as he caught her in his arms.

“Thank God,” She exclaimed, burrowing into his wet, ice covered jacket. “I was coming to find you.”

He shouted above the wind-whipped storm. “I found shelter. We must go, now.”

He was wearing a huge smile, all presented to comfort her. “You did?”

“Yes!”

And then she grabbed his neck and kissed him. Amid a winter squall, so strong it threatened to knock them over. She kissed him: his lips and cheeks, nose and chin. “I knew you would; I knew you’d save us!”

“We need to retrieve our gear, and hurry. The temperature is below zero.”

“Yes, yes.” She agreed, kissing him again, leaving him stunned and speechless.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yet by the time he was still a half mile from the shelter, their breathing slowed, the chill was literally flowing through their bones, and they’d grown very tired: all a sure sign of hypothermia.

“Hold on, Lizzie, we’re almost there.”

“I’m tired, Red. Can’t I sleep for a while?”

“No, stay awake, do you hear me? Stay awake, we’re almost there. Fifteen minutes more, sweetheart.”

“Okay, I promise.” She called back.

One hundred yards from their destination, he heard a disturbance behind them.

Wolves. They were tracking Red and Elizabeth.

There was no time to waste.

“Elizabeth, don’t look back!” He called to her as he picked up his pace and trudged through the snow and the gale force winds.

He didn’t dare stop until they were at the door of the run down, one room old wooden cabin.

“Hurry!” He told her as he unfastened her belts, grabbed bags with one arm, and wrapped the other around her waist.

“Quickly, Lizzie. We’re being stalked.”

She said nothing, just hopped on one leg, up the three cracked and worn snow covered stairs it took to get them to the front door of the abode.

Red shouldered his way in, causing them both to fall to the floor, just as the wolves closed in. He pushed the door shut with his feet, then reached up, grateful to see a worn, wooden door latch that was thankfully a passable lock to keep out the animals.

“The windows!” Liz looked to the two glass windows, cracked but, still intact.

“It’s okay.” Red, out of breath, his teeth chattering, adrenalin rushing through his body. “We’re okay, Lizzie.”

And she crawled across the floor, ice and snow covering every inch of her. Her lips were nearly blue, her hands and feet virtually numb. She reached his arms and fell into him. “I’m so-so cold.”

“I know, sweetheart. I’ll get us warm. We need to start a fire, quick, or we’ll surely not survive another hour. He held her in his arms, kissing her temple, but this was no time for comfort, especially when both of them were soaked through the skin.

He helped her remove her outer clothing, then shrugged out of his own, head to boots. “I’ll start a fire, over there.” He pointed to the ancient fireplace, small, but looked serviceable. “Retrieve every blanket and jacket you can handle and make a bed for us.” 

While Red grabbed the lighter and matches from the backpack, he saw a two-legged chair, and broke it up, using the dry pieces of wood for kindling. Within two minutes, he had a fire going, silently hoping the flue was not blocked.

The smoke rose up, instead of backing up into the room and Red eased a sigh of relief. They would warm up, but it would take time. And they had no time.

He turned to Elizabeth, who was removing her gloves and scarf, hat and unzipping her parka. Red shed everything he wore, except his sweatpants and undershirt.

“I’ll help you with your boots and socks, Lizzie.” He approached her. Nodding, she made her way to the makeshift bed she’d created and allowed him to slip off her boots and heavy socks. Her bare feet were icicles, and he wasted no time in rubbing them, bringing circulation back into her toes. He dug in his own bag, and pulled out a pair of his own heavy, woolen socks and placed them over her tiny feet, then kept rubbing heat into her extremities.

In the meantime, Elizabeth reached over and grabbed a backpack for water and aspirin. She took a small sip, then handed the bottle to Red, who refused it. “Drink a sip, please, Red.” He took the aspirin she handed him, then left the bottle beside her.

She noticed him shivering and needed to give him her warmth.

“We need to get under the blankets, or we’ll both freeze to death. Now, please.”

Without a word, he lowered himself to her side, and covered them head to toe, with blankets and any other covering she’d found. They lay wrapped around each other, their only thought, to get warm, stay alive, and hoping the fire would warm the tiny cabin very soon.

She reached out her arms to him, welcoming him. He joined her, lying on his side as she burrowed her head under his chin and closed her eyes. “Closer.” Was all she said, while he brought his body close to hers, giving each other crucial, life-giving body heat. 

Within moments, the fire crackled and popped in volume, and combined with their closeness, the tiny hut became a warm haven. He could think of nothing except her warmth, her closeness, and in the midst of all they’d endured, he couldn’t stop the spark that her body had aroused in him. 

They faced each other, legs entwined, eyes locked and weary from their ordeal, as they slowly, tenderly, came together in a kiss as gentle as a gentle snow.

Her arms came around his shoulders, as his hands caressed her cool cheeks. Warmth slowly seeped back into their bodies as exhaustion overtook them.

She was safe; that’s all that mattered, he thought, hearing the slight rhythmic sound of her breathing, her body and his, close enough to be one entity.

“Elizabeth…”

“I know….”

Another kiss, foreheads pressed together, and they fell asleep in that position, close as two people could be, their bodies molded to one another, as if designed that way. As if they were born to be together.

The sounds of dancing flames from the ancient fireplace warmed them, while outside, the storm reached its zenith.

No matter what happened from this moment onward, love filled Red’s heart. She would forever be his heart…his soul….his life. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He awakened to feel her sleeping figure lying across him. The storm had blown over and silence dominated the small, broken down hut. The fire had burned down to smoldering embers, but the room was blessedly warm.

His body stimulated by her closeness, her face buried in his chest and her arms resting on either side of his chest, warmed him to the point of painful arousal. He did nothing to move her, not did he wish to do so.

Slowly, he returned her sleepy embrace, and closed his eyes, savoring, cherishing her body, and all he wanted to do was touch her…kiss her….

“Hi.”

He turned to see her eyes, wide and blue as fiery sapphires, fixed on him, but made no move to move from her position across his form.

“Hi.” He met her gaze, at a loss for more than the one syllable greeting.  
There was no doubt she’d felt his rock-hard erection, and there was no way for him to stop it. “Elizabeth, I –”

She lifted a finger and placed it over his lips, shaking her head. “No. Don’t say anything.”

“But…your leg --.”

“—Is fine.” She finished his sentence.

He watched as she aligned her body with his, over him, then caressed his face. “Please don’t turn me away.” She begged, pressing into his heat. “I want you, and I know you want me, so please, don’t deny it. I need to be close to you, need to be with you.”

Her eyes filled with tears, as she waited for him to either move closer or move away. 

Red knew once he tasted her, once they were together, he would never recover, never be able to get over her. She would leave when they were rescued, and he would shatter, his life would be over, but for the memory of loving her, even for a short time.

Did he want to risk his heart, his soul, in order to show her how much he adored her?

Was this all worth it? All he needed was to move her from him, rise from their nest of blankets and warmth, and disregard her feelings – his feelings.

“Red?” She touched her forehead to his, her loosened strands of hair creating a long tantalizing curtain around them. 

She was pleading with him, crying for him, offering her body to join with his.

Then her mouth slid down to his.

And he was lost.

Everything after that floated, as if in slow motion.

The snow had ceased to fall, the wind, calm, their blanketed nest, warm.

The world had seemingly ceased to turn.

And Red found himself in her arms, moving over him, touching him, kissing him, sharing her body with him.

“Be with me.” Her breathy whisper clutched his emotion-filled heart and refused to let go.

He lifted his head to meet the honey of her lips, and they came together, slow embers, simmering, waited to be stoked.

Their kiss was slow and full, as if they needed to give each other a full measure of what they were experiencing. Red brought his arms around her waist, keeping her in place, while his body responded to every inch of her flesh. Her tiny moans of pleasure stirred him, and he hardened in response. She moved her head in order to gain deeper purchase to his lips, then both opened their mouths, tongues meeting, tasting, dancing. 

Their injuries vanished in the wake of their kiss, which lengthened, intensified with every touch. Tongues swirled, heat continued to engorge them, as Red skimmed his hands further down her body, sliding her sweats and panties down past her legs.

He groaned when the warmth of her legs pressed into his thighs, and he needed to be bare as well. As if reading his mind, she broke their kiss, and managed to pull his bottoms down and off as well, throwing the sweats to the side.

Without words, he lay back, facing her, searching her eyes for any hint of apprehension or awkwardness: he found none, only a look of a woman, excited, anticipating, aroused as deeply as he.

He watched as she raised her arms, leaving him to slip her sweater and bra from her, throwing the garments off to the side of their makeshift bed. She then, quietly, yet quickly, did the same for him.

When they were completely devoid of anything that could come between them, she lay on top of him. Red opened his legs, leaving her access to all of him: his erection, his hard, thick length. He was offering all of him, to all of her.

His eyes asked the question as their eyes locked: Are you sure? There is no birth control – do you trust me?

Elizabeth had heard his query, as if he’d spoken the words aloud. “Yes. Yes.”

Her answer crushed him, shattered him, and he swallowed unshed tears, as her trust in him affected him like nothing else in his life.  
While gazing into his eyes, she lifted her slender figure, then, feeling no discomfort at all in her leg, she opened for him, and with excruciating, slow moves, lowered herself onto his length, filled and aching for her heat.

He gave all he had, all he was, and they met again in a kiss. He wanted to devour her, touch her, taste and suck her. Her breasts were full and pebbled nipples teased his own chest as his body began move inside her.

She was gloriously hot, her hair, a riot of waves that fell around her, while they kissed and moaned with pleasure. Tongues sipped and licked, tasting each other’s flesh, celebrating the wonderful act that was a kiss.

Elizabeth gloried in every inch of his body: he was strong and well-muscled, handsome and masculine. His kisses made her dizzy, and all she wanted, desired, -- craved, was to make love to him, over and over.

She felt him lift his body, open his legs wider, to give her more purchase to his thick length. She wanted more. She lifted herself to a sitting position, feeling him surge deeper inside her, as his large hands encircled her hips.

Red watched in wonder as she rose above him, a naked angel in all her glory, dark waves falling over her shoulders as his body settled inside of her. He became breathless as she watched him, her breasts jutted out, perfect and pink, nipples darkened by her arousal. His palms circled and teased the erect points, making her moan and writhe from his touch.

She leaned over to give him access to her twin globes, and he feasted on her, slowly, tenderly sipping and suckling first one, then the other. With one hand, he held back her hair, loving the silky waterfall of her locks.

Hot and wet, Red reveled in her, wanted her more than he’d ever wanted anything in his life. He was so deep inside her, and so deeply in love, he wanted to die with her, here and now, making love with her, until they ceased to be.

They were heaving heavily now, their breaths short and deep. Arousal and pleasure melded into one entity, and they wanted nothing more than to reach that summit – together.

Tiny beads of sweat covered their foreheads, as they teased and touched, kissed and tasted.

They needed more; craved for more.

And as if in perfect synch, Red gently turned her to her back, taking care of her leg, so as not to hurt her.

“Closer….” She murmured, telling him she was in no discomfort.

He nodded, sighed and felt her open wide for him, inviting him inside her wet heat, and with patience and painfully slow movements, he cried out as she reached down to guide his length deep inside her. 

“Elizabeth.” His voice was a celebration of all she was, all he was when he was with her.

He kissed her again, hot, yet tender, while her palms covered his rear, and her carnal whispers whispered near his ear, prompting him to give her more, give her everything.

His movements quickened, his body wanting to give and receive. Her hands slid back up to his face, gazing lazily as together, they experienced each other’s pleasure and arousal in each other’s eyes.

His hands moved down around her to grip her hips as his movements quickened, his heart throbbing in time with his thrusts as he deepened his body within her inviting, slippery heat.

He was close, as was she. “Open your eyes, Lizzie….” Those blue eyes would be the death of him. “Look at me. See what being with you is doing to me.”

Eyes half closed, aroused and drowsy, she met his deep green orbs. No words were needed. She knew.

She cried out when he filled her with his essence; powerful and strong as he answered her cries with deep moans of pleasure and completion as he spilled his essence inside her.

Their bodies lightly covered with a light sheen of sweat, still entwined, his body still inside hers, their hearts beat hard and fast, they turned to their side, Red always careful of her leg. Their breaths eventually slowed to a normal rhythm.

He pushed strands of hair back from her face, hands shaking, waiting for signs of regret from her. None came.

Elizabeth smiled at him, kissed him deeply, then burrowed into him, falling asleep, while he dared to smile as well.

Something he’d always hoped for now became his truth: she’d become his second chance.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the last of their provisions depleted, Red collapses from his head injury, while Elizabeth further injures her leg; with virtually all hope gone, they hold on to each other, prepared to meet their fate ~~ meanwhile, with time running out and another storm on the way, Dembe and Red's team frantically search for the couple ~~ will they find Red and Elizabeth in time?

“Do you know you have the longest eyelashes I’ve ever seen on a man?”

Red blinked in silent amazement, causing her to giggle, as she softly traced the slight brush of his lashes. It was a joyful sound he’d happily listen to all day long. 

They’d dozed for a bit, then awakened in each other’s arms, in no hurry to move. Elizabeth felt warm and safe for the first time since the crash.

They were blissfully exhausted, satiated from love making, and enjoying the warmth that the fireplace provided. Secretly, Red was worried about their dwindling supplies, but for the moment, he simply enjoyed her warmth, while they teased and touched.

Several moments of silence ensued, until her manner turned serious. “If you’re waiting for me to say I’m sorry, or that I regret what happened between us, you’ll be waiting a long time.”

He caressed her cheek, his hand a comforting warmth against her skin. “I regret nothing.”

She gave a long sigh of relief. “I know I should feel guilty. I have a fiancé that I was to marry only days ago, but Red, I only feel….I don’t know, I feel – “

“Yes?”

She caressed his cheek, brushing her palm across his stubble. “I care for you. I didn’t plan it, it just happened. And not just because we’ve been struggling to survive, together. I just –“

“Shh. Don’t say it.” He nodded, silently rejoicing at her near revelation. He didn’t care that she’d been unfaithful to Tom. Keen didn’t deserve her, never deserved her. Was he concerned whether she’d return to him when they were rescued? Yes, he was. He wanted to be with her but would never force her or try to convince her they belonged together. She had to come to that conclusion for herself. Elizabeth could never be swayed to do anything. He wished to tell her how deeply he loved her, but not yet. She still had decisions to make – after help arrived. 

He took her hand, kissed her palm, then placed it on his cheek. “I’m a bad man, a violent man, but you are safe with me. We must, however, talk about the rather large elephant in the room, Lizzie. We’re running low on water; food is nearly gone, as well as the pain medication, and truth be known, we need medical attention. And that pack of wolves out there is not going to leave until they get what they came for: us.”

She listened intently, loving the sound of his deep voice, knowing she would miss him dearly when they were found and ultimately separated. He continued to cradle her hand in his own, running his thumb up and down her raised skin, puckered and scarred from the fire. His comforting gesture continued as his words sunk in. 

“What about your concussion, Red?” She whispered, her face close to his, memorizing each tiny line and feature within that handsome visage, not to mention those beautiful, expressive green eyes. “You need to be in a hospital. I know that you’re suffering.” She held back tears, knowing he hurt. “You need help, soon. I’m going to tape my leg tighter, get up, maybe go outside and help with the snares….and….”

“You’ll do no such thing.” He insisted, squeezing her hand and giving her an intense look of disapproval. “I appreciate the fact that you want to help, but I’ll take an aspirin, conserve the few we have left. You need to eat, drink water.” He pointed out as he kissed her quickly, then rose from their make-shift bed. “But first…”

He made his way to his own backpack, then pulled out a clean white t-shirt and a bottle of water, wet the shirt. Pulling the blankets from her, he proceeded to wash her, tenderly washing away the remnants of their lovemaking with a tender touch, while she watched in amazement at this man, who’d labeled himself a ‘bad man, a violent man.’

A man she wanted to share her last moments with, should the unthinkable happen.

She loved him, simple as that.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Later, after getting dressed, Red threw some broken shards of wood in the fireplace, stoked the fire, shared the last packet of trail mix with her. 

Slipping into his boots and jacket, he grabbed the flare gun, plus his Glock, and turned to her before he headed out. “Latch the door behind me, Lizzie.” He directed as he fastened his gloves and wrapped a scarf around his shoulders. He brought a hand to his head, his face cringing with discomfort “I’ll return as soon as I can. Stay warm and rest.”

She loved when he called her, ‘Lizzie’. “Be safe.” She told him, pulling him by the jacket and kissing him quick and deep. “And hurry back.”

They shared a look that needed no response. He turned from her, and ventured outside, his squinting eyes surveying all around him. The wolves were nowhere to be seen, but Red guessed that they wouldn’t be gone for long.

“Probably enjoying whatever is caught in my snares.” He told himself.

He was met with a bitterly cold morning, the sky grey and dreary. He pulled out the flare gun, pointed it toward the sky, and pulled the trigger, watching the trail of light and sparks ascend into the clouds. “Where are you, Dembe?” He softly inquired as his head was near to breaking apart. “Elizabeth cannot be left alone.” 

Listening for any signs of the animals’ return, Red staggered toward the snares he’d set the day before, while each step he took intensified the throbbing ache in his head. He stopped and vomited, doubled over and fell to his knees.

“No!” He uttered, struggling to pull himself up from the snow that was nearly waist high. Emptying his stomach, the dizziness set in, and he heaved again, but there was nothing left to bring up. Sick to his stomach, he attempted to gather his strength, to no avail.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Red!”

Elizabeth had been watching from the window, seen him falter, had thrown on her hat, jacket and boots, then hopped out the door, gun in hand, to assist him.

She was so intent on reaching him she lost her footing and fell down the icy steps. “Oh God!” She screamed, as a sharp knife of pain shot up her already injured leg. If she didn’t move, and fast, it was over for them both. 

Struggling as she sobbed from her new injury, she pushed herself up, then dragged her useless leg behind her, her gun at the ready should the predators appear.

“Red, I’m here.” Finally, she was by his side. “Can you hear me? We have to get you inside.” Grabbing his shoulders, she cried out, noticing that he’d vomited, and her heart wept for him. From the moment they crashed, all he’d done for her had been at the risk of his own health.

“I’ll get you back.” She said, leaving him in the snow, knowing she couldn’t drag him back to their shelter. With one good leg, tears fell as she struggled and strained through the snow until she reached the cabin, grabbed the sled, so heavy, growing heavier as she dragged it to Red’s side. She hadn’t realized how much strength of will he’d used to get her this far, especially with his injury. Stepping behind him, making sure they weren’t being stalked, she grabbed him by the shoulders, and hauled him onto the sled, her body screaming for relief, her leg throbbing in agony.

She strapped him in, inhaled deep breaths, and strained every muscle in her body. “Don’t you die on me, damn it!”

Sniffing back her tears, she grabbed the tether and began to drag him back to the cabin; Easier said than done. For endless moments, the sled refused to move; she pulled and pulled with all her might, never surrendering, until – finally, grunting and groaning, she was able to drag the sled, never stopping, never wavering, until they arrived at the hut.

Then another obstacle faced her: those three steps to get him inside.

“How the hell will I do this?” She breathed as desolation choked her.

Red must have heard her. He opened his eyes and saw her, standing over him. He found himself on the sled. How the hell…?

He stirred, opening his eyes, seeing her huddled above him. “Lizzie, what? --”

They both turned at the sound of shuffling snow, not far behind them.

“Oh my God, Red, you need to get up! Wolves! We need to get inside, now!”

He moved and held out his hand, as she took it, pulled him up. “Hurry!” She urged him as he rose, and together, holding onto one another for dear life, they managed to climb those few worn stairs, then kicked the door open to the hut. They pushed through the portal, closed and latched it, locking out the growling predators that clearly had no intention of giving up. 

Elizabeth turned to him, pulled off his jacket, hat and gloves, then guided him to the blankets. “Please close your eyes, Red. Don’t argue with me ok?”

He didn’t answer, just obeyed her loving command, even allowing her to slip off his boots. She covered him, kissed his forehead, hopped to the fireplace to stoke the flames, then remembered something: the bottle of scotch tucked within his back pack. It would warm him quick, and maybe, just maybe, ease his pain a little. It was worth a try.

“Take a sip or two of this.” She knelt beside him, his eyes fixed on her, glazed and filled with pain. He remained silent and took a gulp of the burning amber liquid without debate or question.

“I’m here, Red.” She nodded, gently lowering him to the blankets. Her broken whispers split the silence of their haven. “Lay back and rest.”

Whether he’d fallen asleep, or lost consciousness, she wasn’t sure. Taking in her surroundings, loneliness consumed her, sending shivers of anguish through her. If the black box had relayed signals to their rescuers, help would have arrived by now.

Then she drank from the bottle of scotch, hoping for a bit of relief. She continued to stare at Red, anguish eating at her, and couldn’t bear to look away from the rise and fall of his chest, lest he pass away. They found themselves in dire straits. She wouldn’t get far without him, that was indisputable. If they were destined to perish, she wished only to die in his arms.

She shrugged out of her jacket and covered him with it, biting her lip to keep from screaming in agony, then joined him on their makeshift nest, slipping her arm around his waist, lying on her side. close enough to feel and hear his steady intake of breath.

“Listen to me, Raymond Reddington.” Her voice was little more than a cracked murmur. “Whatever happens now, we’re together. I love you.” She cried quietly, tenderly planting tiny kisses on his cool lips. “I want you to know that; I want you to hear that.”

She reached for the liquor and swallowed another long gulp, cringing as the alcohol burned its way down her throat, then set the bottle aside, and settled in for whatever fate had in store for them.

She’d seen him shoot off the flare. He’d done all he could for the possibility of rescue.

Closing her eyes, she suddenly felt ill. Her body shivered as her teeth chattered uncontrollably. Still, she held him close, the man she’d fallen in love with while promised to another. And the strange thing about all of it was, she felt no guilt…no remorse.

Just love.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Red had heard her voice, as though in a vacuum, garbled and slurred. He could barely open his eyes against the runaway freight train in his head. He turned toward her, relished those sapphire orbs. “F-forgive me, Lizzie. I’m s-sorry.”

She smiled weakly. “Don’t be.”

“Are you afraid?”

“No. Just hold me.”

He struggled to hold her closer. “Lizzie, I….love….”

“I know.”

Then….all was quiet.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The wolf pack scattered as the approaching sound of an aircraft split the silence.

“I see a structure; There’s smoke coming from that chimney; look there! A sled!”

Dembe Zuma spoke to his team through the mouthpiece attached to head gear as the helicopter whirred above the dilapidated cabin.

Tears choked him. “It’s them.”

Another team member, Baz, pointed to a flat area to set down. “Right there, in that clearing.”

“I hope we’re not too late.” Dr. Nik Korpal chimed in, grabbing his medical bag.

“They’re alive.” Dembe stated, certainty and faith coloring his voice. “They are.”

Setting the chopper down on a flat patch of snow-packed landscape, Red’s rescuers, consisting of Dembe, Morgan, Baz and Nik, slid open the heavy metal door, grabbed a myriad of survival supplies, then trudged through the nearly waist high snow, intent on reaching the tiny cabin. 

Bursting through the door, the four men stopped in their tracks, taking in their sparse surroundings and found the couple, lying deathly still, wrapped in each other’s arms, covered in layers of fabric and outerwear.

Dembe hurried to their side, fell to his knees beside them: Red was pale, eyes closed, while Elizabeth’s cheeks were flushed pink. Outwardly, they didn’t appear to be injured, but that meant nothing. He grabbed their pulses with both hands. A deep breath of relief escaped him as he turned back to the team.

“They are both alive.” He announced, emotion taking hold as Nik approached the couple. Morgan and Baz stood close by, prepared to escort them to the helicopter.

“They need fluids and warmth.” Nik checked them quickly, saw Elizabeth’s tightly wrapped leg, then spied her flushed cheeks, and placed a hand on her forehead. “She’s burning up.” He proclaimed, then lightly touched the cut over Red’s eye. “Red? Red can you hear me?”

Red never opened his eyes. “Mmm, my head. Pain.” He moaned. “Elizabeth…her leg…save her.”

Dembe nodded. “We’re here now; hold on Raymond. Thankfully, we spotted your flare about ten miles east of here.” He explained, then turned to his team. “There is little time before another storm sets in. Let’s move.” 

The four men moved as one entity in perfect tandem, carrying Red and Elizabeth to the aircraft, placing them side by side, while Red continued to call Elizabeth’s name.

“She’s here, Raymond.” Dembe replied in a soft voice. “Elizabeth is right beside you.”

Wanting nothing except to bring comfort to his friend, he took Red’s hand and placed it over hers, watching in awed amazement as they grasped each other’s fingers. Within seconds, Red appeared comforted, and remained silent for the duration of their flight.

“Baz, contact Kate and tell her we need two vehicles: one to take Agent Scott to Denver University Hospital; the other, to the safe house in Denver for Raymond. He will need emergency care as soon as possible.”

As intravenous liquids were administered by Nik, Dembe navigated the helicopter down the mountain, until arriving at a nearby airfield, all the while worry filling his heart with deep concern for his two injured passengers. 

Baz nodded, prepared to call *77 – the secret code used to summon members of Red’s medical team who would be present to administer whatever treatment he required to recover.

“How are they doing back there?” Dembe called to Nik.

“Not good, I’m afraid. Red needs a brain scan; Agent Scott’s leg is infected. What’s our ETA?”

“Less than ten minutes.” Dembe replied, his voice filled with concern.

Eight minutes later, Dembe touched down on a private airfield, where two ambulances waited. As his team took Agent Keen into one vehicle and whisked her away to a nearby hospital, Dembe and the Nik carried Red to the other van, where Kate Kaplan met with them.

Spying his pale countenance, she touched Red’s shoulder in an affectionate gesture, swallowed hard, and sniffed back tears. “We’re all here, Raymond.” She leaned over her friend and lightly kissed his cool cheek. “You’re going to be fine.”

As they arrived at Red’s safe house, hidden away outside a small Denver town, a top-notch medical team arrived, preparing to assist their employer with the latest high-tech equipment. 

As a half dozen physicians and techs converged on Red to examine him, and evaluate the degree of his injury, they heard him call to her in a painful tone.

“Lizzie…” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the rescue and ongoing recovery of Red and Elizabeth, both must face certain truths in their life; Red, a notorious criminal, didn't plan to fall in love with Elizabeth, a rookie FBI agent -- and Elizabeth, engaged to Tom Keen, now back home. What does the future hold for them?

3 DAYS LATER  
RED’S SAFE HOUSE/TURNED ICU UNIT  
SOMEWHERE IN COLORADO

“Lizzie….”

Dembe rushed to Red’s bed side, watching as his friend opened his eyes and took in his surroundings. “Raymond! Thank God.”

Red blinked several times, then waited for the headache that never formed. He breathed a sigh of relief, then focused on his savior, and took his hand. “Dembe.”

“I’m here, dear friend, so grateful that you’re going to be well.”

Red exhaled a thankful sigh. “You saw the flare, I assume.”

Dembe smiled and nodded. “We never gave up hope. You are not ready to leave this earth yet, dear friend.”

Red allowed a small attempt at humor. “I guess the devil isn’t ready for me. How long was I out?”

“Three days. You suffered a serious concussion; you were unconscious when we found you and Agent Scott, but you are going to be alright.”

A look of genuine worry created a veil over his countenance. “Where is she? What is her condition? Her leg? Tell me what you know.”

Dembe smiled and nodded. “She’s in a hospital here in Denver, suffering from a stress fracture, which was infected and brought about a fever, but she will be fine.” He covered Red’s hand with his own in a comforting gesture. “Keen arrived a couple of days ago and has not left her side. They are planning to fly back to Washington later tomorrow.”

Red’s expression deflated at the mention of Tom. “She is safe, thanks to you. Judging from our circumstance, I don’t know how much time we had left. I owe you a debt I can never repay.”

As Red’s mind visualized the woman he’d fallen in love with, her warmth, her voice, her bravery, wrapped in each other’s arms, preparing to die with her if that’s what was meant to be, he heard a knock on the door.

Dembe turned as Nik entered the cavernous room that had been transformed into a hospital room “How’s our patient?”

Red focused on his doctor, a thousand questions filling his head, and none concerning himself. “Never mind me, I’m fine. “Is she in pain? Has she been made comfortable? Will her fever have any long-lasting effects?”

His questions were direct, and knowing Red, he demanded straight answers. “Her leg will recover completely. Aside from a hairline fracture, which was aggravated when she stumbled down the cabin stairs to assist you, she is quite comfortable. I have a friend, an excellent orthopedic surgeon at Denver University Center. I made sure she was treated before I left her in his care. Her fever broke yesterday, the infection has been treated, and she will be going home today with her fiancé.”

Red exhaled the breath he’d been holding, listening to Nik discuss Elizabeth’s care. “Did you speak to her?” 

Nik moved closer to Red’s hospital bed. “No. She’d passed out from dehydration and fever when we found you both. I’ve called the hospital each day.” He nodded, emphasizing her condition. “Red, she’s young and strong; she’ll be fine will require crutches for a while, then a cane; otherwise, she’ll suffer no lasting effects from the injury.” 

Red turned his gaze to Dembe. “Please make sure she and Keen are flown first class back to Washington, all medical bills and medications taken care of. Anything she requires.” He said, pointedly.

“Yes.” Dembe nodded. 

Red sighed deeply, missing her voice, her presence, the memory of them, together, giving and receiving, the joy of burying himself deep within her heat. But she was better off without him, and truth be known, he didn’t deserve her. Tom was with her now; she’d go on with her life, re-join the FBI, and soon become a married woman.

The thought pierced the remnants of Red’s heart, as he had given all to her in the time they’d spent together.

He ached to talk to her, just one more time, make sure she was recovered enough to go home, but keeping his distance was best for both. As soon as he received a clean bill of health, he’d fly away, and leave her to the life she was destined to live.

A life without him. The blueprint he’d put in place to surrender to the FBI was off the table, knowing now how he felt about her. Apprehending the band of notorious criminals would be too dangerous a game, would put her life through years of risk, and he knew now, he couldn’t not, would not do that to her, not after what she’d just been through.

He stared at the IV line in his arm and looked back at Nik. “How long do I have to stay here? I have no time for this, Nik.”

The pain in his head may have been gone, unlike the pain in his heart, which would ache for Elizabeth all the rest of his days.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ONE WEEK LATER  
WASHINGTON, D.C.  
ELIZABETH & TOM’S APARTMENT

Elizabeth laid her crutches beside the sofa, then clumsily sunk into the pillows. Her belongings from the crash were sitting in front of her, on the coffee table, unopened.

She missed Red so deeply, she ached inside. And just knowing he’d arranged first-class arrangements for her and Tom to fly back home, made her love him just a little bit more.

“Where are you, Red? Please call me.”

Since the rescue by Red’s team, she’d not heard from him. God knows where he is, she thought, fighting back tears, looking around her apartment she shared with Tom.

Her heart was not present in this place anymore. It belonged to a criminal mastermind, a man who’d been a stranger until that fateful day. Had it only been days since she made love to a man she hardly knew? Less than two weeks since she’d given her body, her heart to the FBI’s most wanted. She, an engaged woman, due to be married? A desperate injured woman, who’d been close to death, and allowed fleeting emotions to get in the way?

No. No. Desperation had nothing to do with all of it. She hadn’t expected to fall in love with him. How could this happen in such a short time? With a man who was not her fiancé? What did that say about her?

That she was never really in love with Tom? When he came to her in Colorado, thankfully embraced and kissed her, told her he’d been so happy she was alive, she felt – nothing, had only wished that it had been Red.

Since returning to the apartment she shared with Tom, she couldn’t bear his touch. And secretly, she thanked God for the leg cast, because she’d never make love with Tom, ever again.

Taking a deep, cleansing breath, she forced herself to open the heavy, crash-damaged backpack. Unzipping the teeth, she exposed the contents, and fought back tears as memories came charging forward. Rolled up clothes joined empty bottles of aspirin and other medications, a near empty water container, a crushed package of cracker crumbs, a tiny bag with the remnants of raisins and almonds.

She gasped. His socks. His sunglasses.

With trembling fingers, she managed a tiny smile, and held on to the precious items for dear life, her heart filled with memories of their time together; traces of love, imprinted forever in her heart.

Closing her eyes, she took a moment to reminisce the way his body moved under hers, then on her, so gentle, yet so filled with passion and need. Her body still hungered for him, ached for his touch, his warmth….his kiss.

“Red….” She dared whisper his name, forbidden to all but her. No one must ever know it was him who rescued her, cared for her, saved her life.

Loved her.

Holding back unshed tears, which came quite frequently since she arrived back home with Tom, she placed his sunglasses inside a front zippered pocket of the bag, never to be seen by him.

Preparing the rest of her clothes for the laundry, she decided to keep Red’s over-sized socks and wear them at night with her pajamas, keeping him close to her body, in a fashion.

Shoving her hand to the bottom of the bag, she pulled out her gun, placed it on the coffee table, then dug further and found her cell phone. “Ah, finally.” She exclaimed. Pulling it out, she looked at it, brows furrowed. 

“This is not mine.” She said to herself. It was a disposable phone. 

And then she knew: It was Red’s cell.

Excitement filled her as she rose from the sofa, hopped over to her leather tote, pulled out a charger and prayed it would fit the cell. “Come on, this has to work.” She thought, hope flooding her. But if it charged, then what? How could she could call him?

Maybe, just maybe when he realized the burner was missing, he’d call it, and they could talk, keep in touch….a lifeline between the two.

But what if he didn’t call? What if knowing that she was FBI, he’d disappeared into the ether, never to be seen again? Why on earth would he want to speak to her?

She shook her head, refusing to believe her thoughts. “Because I know you love me, that’s why.” She held her breath as her charger connected and snapped into the cell port.

“Hey Babe, what are you doing without your crutches?”

She turned to Tom who wore a concerned look, and meeting his gaze, knowing her love for him was gone forever, Elizabeth knew what she had to do. 

“Can we talk, Tom?”

“Sure. Are you finally ready to talk about our wedding? I was thinking about Valentine’s day. Why don’t we sit? Doctor said you need to keep your leg up.”

Liz nodded, then made her way to the club chair in the den, while he grabbed a sofa pillow and set it beneath her bound leg. She put the crutches to the side and cleared her throat.

“I need to tell you about the crash….and the aftermath.”

Tom reached across to grab her hand, which she ignored. “Oh. I thought we were going to talk about re-scheduling the wedding, but, okay.” His smile fell. “I know it was a horrible experience for you, Babe. You don’t have to worry; maybe if you spoke with a professional, the trauma and bad memories of being with a stranger for all that time would –”

“I don’t need therapy.” She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from snapping at him. “That’s not what I’m talking about, Tom. Why don’t you listen?”

“I’m sorry.”

She was instantly contrite. “No, no, I’m sorry.” Look, while I was on that mountain, having just survived a plane crash, knowing I could die at any moment, well, it changed me, changed the way of how I view life.” She swallowed tears, struggled to maintain composure. “I’m changed, Tom; I’m different, and I – I care for you, I do, but I can’t marry you, Tom. And I regret that more than I could express.”

Shock didn’t even describe his response to her words. He was stunned, surprised, and hurt - justifiably so.

“Okay,” he cleared his throat, adjusted his horn-rimmed glasses. “Okay, we could postpone the wedding. I’ll give you all the time you need, Liz. I’ll wait.”

“No, I don’t want you to wait; I’m not going to change my mind. I’m sorry Tom. I think it’s best for me to move out, as soon as possible.”  
Tom clasped his hands together; his mouth formed a tight frown. “Did something happen on that mountain, Liz? Between you and this ‘Kenneth Rathers’? Why didn’t he come to the hospital to see you? Why did we never see him? What was he to you?”

“He was rushed off to a private hospital with his associates, I believe. I don’t even know if he’s dead or alive. He was very sick when we were rescued. This has nothing to do with you. It’s me, Tom…..it’s me.”

“Is that why you kept calling for ‘Red’ when you were delirious with fever?” He stood and began pacing, then stopped to confront her.

“You and he were ‘together’, weren’t you, Liz?” He stood with hands on hips, his eyes brown pools of accusation. “Weren’t you?”

She met his glaring look, unblinking and nodded. “Yes.” She didn’t feel the need to lie. And there was nothing Tom could do to make her reveal any detail of her intimate time with Red. Those moments belonged only to her – and to Red.

“Is that all you’re going to say?”

“Yes. Please don’t make this harder than it already is, Tom. I don’t feel that the details of what happened between Kenneth and myself is any of your business.”

“None of my business? None of my business?” His voice rose, drawing trembling fingers through his hair, shaking his head. He’d look at her, then turned away. Obviously not knowing what to do, he lashed out.

“We were going to get married the day after you went missing!” He threw out his arm to make a point. “You were gone less than a week. Now you come home and tell me that you can’t marry me because of this guy?!”

Liz rose from the sofa, grabbed her crutches, impatient to pack her things and leave. She didn’t want to hurt Tom any further. She wasn’t about to confide to him that she’d fallen for a master criminal, an older man, a man who was prepared to give his life for her.

A man who’d watched over her since she was a girl.

It was, indeed, a fantastic story, even for her to believe. But it was true.

And none of what she knew, or experienced, or shared with Raymond Reddington would ever become common knowledge to Tom, or anyone, so long as she lived.

“Don’t you want to try to work this out, Liz? Tell me what I can do to make this right?”

She approached him, the crutches making her feel clumsy and helpless, placed a palm against his clean-shaven cheek, and shook her head, truly sorry for the pain she’d inflicted upon him.

“There is one thing: just let me go.”

She walked past him, to their bedroom, and began to pack her suitcases.

It was over.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TEN DAYS LATER  
BETHESDA, MARYLAND  
RED’S APARTMENT

It was strange to wake up without a headache.

Strange to wake up warm and dry and safe.

Strange to reach out for her and not find her there. 

“Dembe, I can’t seem to find my mobile; did you see it in my backpack? I remember you giving it to me before the flight. It’s probably gone.” Red sighed, as he finally had the strength to rummage through the remains of his bag. He saw her face everywhere, heard her voice inside his mind, ached for her and didn’t know how to let go.

“I will bring you a new cell.” Dembe left the room, leaving Red to sort out the content of his luggage, and made his way outside, to the garage, out of ear shot.

Pulling out his own burner, he pressed a button, the number to Red’s missing cell, hoping that Elizabeth would answer.

He owed it to Agent Scott to call her and tell her how Raymond was faring. It didn’t take a genius to realize what had happened between them on that mountain. When his friend regained consciousness in the hospital room in the safe house, the first words he uttered, was her name. He’d called her ‘Lizzie.’

Seemed that Elizabeth and Raymond had become close during their dangerous trek through the wilderness. They had survived because of one another. They’d grown closer through their near tragedy, and she deserved to know that he and Red were very concerned for her welfare.

Dembe needed to hear for himself, that she was recovering, to wish her well, and if she did indeed, intend to marry Keen after all.

Then, and only then, would he approach Raymond with the truth, good ... or bad.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elizabeth and Red are finally brought together for the first time since their ordeal; There are conflicts to be resolved, especially since Red thinks that Liz has married Tom; but in the end, love wins. Elizabeth convinces Red that they belong together, and Red knows that she is his way home.

Elizabeth alighted from the taxicab, struggling with the cane she cursed with every clumsy step she took.

She managed to drag her rolling luggage to the motel office, then entered, approached the desk, and requested a room.

Throwing open the door to a street level space, she barely let go of the large suitcase, threw the cane to the floor in a fit of frustration, then plopped down on the double bed, out of breath, and out of patience.

Taking in her surroundings, she frowned, first from the closed in smell of mildew, then cringed her nose as she took in the sparse furnishings and cheap paintings on the wall.

The carpet was stained, the paneled walls, dark grey, the olive-green curtains were cheap and dusty, but Elizabeth didn’t care.

All she wanted was a little peace and quiet; she’d left Tom standing in the middle of the living room, quiet and shocked, confused and accusatory. She was sorry she hurt him, but she couldn’t stay with him another second, not after….not after –

The ring of the cell phone in her pocket made her jump – it was Red’s cell!

Her heart racing with anticipation, she pressed ‘talk’ with trembling fingers. “Hello? Red is that you?”

“Elizabeth, it’s Dembe; are you well?”

“Thank God, Dembe!”

“Elizabeth, it’s good to hear your voice; I’m happy to know that you have Raymond’s phone. How are you?”

She didn’t care about her own welfare but answered him politely. “I’m fine; leg is in a soft cast. Dembe, how is he? Please tell me he’s recovered…please….”

Tears began to fall as she held her breath, waiting for him to answer.

“He’s recovered, Elizabeth. He is going to be fine.”

A broken sob escaped her dry, cracked throat, filled with both elation and relief. “I can’t thank you enough for saving us, Dembe. Where are you? I need to see him.”

A long pause told Elizabeth what she feared. “He’s going away, isn’t he?”

“Yes, that is his plan. I’m so sorry.”

“I’m sorry, Dembe, but he’s not going anywhere until I see him. Now, tell me where he is. I need to talk to him, Dembe. Please. Please.”

“Elizabeth, please understand that seeing you will hurt him greatly, knowing you will be married soon.”

“I won’t – I’m not – I’ve left Tom. I can’t marry him.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, Elizabeth.”

She gained her composure, determined not to give up without a fight; If he departed, she’d never find him. He’d escaped capture for over 25 years, and she knew it would be easy for him to disappear now. “Dembe, tell me where you are.”

Against his better judgement, knowing Red would be furious, Dembe relented. Elizabeth – and Red – deserved to see each other, even if it was just one more time.

“I’ll come to you. I need – I need to see him.” She insisted.

“No.” Dembe replied, exhaled heavily, as if making a decision that wouldn’t fare well with Raymond. “I’ll have a car come for you. Text me your address.”

“Thank you!” She cried; relief colored her broken sobs.

He disconnected the call. Elizabeth allowed herself a good long cry, knowing how close she’d come to losing him forever. At least now, she’d see him, speak to him, make sure he was okay. She had to hear for herself that he didn’t want her, and then she’d walk away.

“Who am I fooling? I’ll never walk away, no matter what he says.”

Because she knew how he felt about her. And if it was just half of all she harbored for him, he couldn’t possibly turn her away.

Criminal or Cop, it didn’t matter. An impossible situation, yes, yet she wasn’t ready to give up.  
Ever.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She didn’t expect the quaint, unassuming apartment in the suburbs of Bethesda.

Which is exactly what Red would want: somewhere a wanted fugitive would live, without stirring the interest of the authorities.

“Here we are, Miss Scott.” The smiling man with the gray ponytail told her, as he helped her from the Mercedes town car, clutched her cane, and handed it to her.

She was so nervous, so excited, nearly stumbling when she grabbed hold of the door handle. The man led her to a side door, then rang the bell, only to be greeted by Dembe.

“Thanks, Baz.” He nodded, then turned to Elizabeth, wearing a big grin.

“Dembe.” Elizabeth greeted him with a bear hug her tears falling freely, as her savior returned her hug. “How can I ever thank you for finding us?”

He smiled wide in answer, but their friendly reunion was cut short when Red turned a corner, carrying a large leather travel bag. He entered the room, and stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of the last person he never thought to ever see again. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Within a few seconds, a series of expressions crossed Red’s countenance: surprise, anger, elation, then confusion. He dropped the bag at his side as his heart missed several beats, his hands folded into fists at the appearance of Elizabeth.

“Red.” 

The sound of his name resonated within his heart as he closed his eyes and savored her familiar tone.

“Elizabeth, what are you doing here?”

He looked tired and had obviously lost weight as a result of their ordeal. She took a stilted step toward him with cane in hand, only to witness him backing away from her. “Evidently, I’ve come just in time.” She lifted her chin to confront him. “I heard you’re leaving.”

“Yes. It’s better this way for all concerned.”

“For all concerned? Really? Well, I’m here to tell you it’s not. You’re running away.”

He didn’t move, froze to the spot, leaving Elizabeth to say what she came to say. “I never took you for a coward, Red. You never ran away up there on that mountain. We stuck together, didn’t we? I thought we’d been honest with each other. Seems I was wrong.”

Red turned slightly to glare at Dembe, and Elizabeth shook her head. “Would you please excuse us, Dembe?”  
Dembe nodded. “Of course. Welcome back, Elizabeth. I’m glad you are well.” And then he turned and was gone.

She turned back to Red. “Aren’t you happy to see me? Were you just going to fly away, without seeing me? How could you?”

Happy to see her? His eyes drank her in like a man dying of thirst. She looked sad, her eyes shiny with unshed tears, yet he held his tongue, while he considered the possibility of just turning and walking away, forcing her to leave, to forget him and realized that it was a mistake for her to come here. But he could never hurt her like that.

“How is your leg?” He deflected from her question. “How long will you have to use the cane?”

Even he realized he sounded foolish, and frankly, a fool.

She shook her head, swallowing tears that threatened, and took another tentative step toward him, effectively cornering him against the back of a chair.

“Is that all you have to say to me?” She asked him, while a deathly stillness fell over him.

He blinked several times, shoving his hands inside his pants pockets to avoid grabbing her and kissing her senseless. Make her go away, his mind demanded. She doesn’t belong here. 

“Whatever you’re thinking, stop right now. I didn’t marry Tom. I’ve left him. So please don’t push me away. I want to be with you.”

He shook his head. “You don’t know what you’re saying, Elizabeth. You deserve a career, a life away from all of this.” He threw out his arms to make his point. “Do you know who I am? What I am? What my life is like? Who I associate with?”

“Is that supposed to be a rhetorical question?” They stood merely several feet apart, and yet it might as well have been a million miles. She had to fight for him, and for just a fleeting moment, thought that he would win the battle.

But he wasn’t going to win the war, she decided.

“For your information I knew who you were the first time I laid eyes on you.” Her voice raised a decibel, exerting her intentions. “You are Raymond Reddington, the ‘concierge of crime’, a master criminal, number four on FBI’s most wanted list. Tell me something I don’t know.”

“Thank you for stating the obvious, Elizabeth.”

“Don’t be flip. And stop calling me ‘Elizabeth’! I know what you’re doing and it’s not going to work.”

He struggled to keep his stoic composure, while at the same time, holding himself from grabbing her and kissing her into silence. “What exactly am I doing except affirming the truth?”

“Here’s my truth for what it’s worth. You cannot deny what we shared on that mountain: the night of the fire and what I’d done. We nearly froze to death, not to mention nearly attacked by a wolf pack, kept warm by sleeping under tree branches.” She took a deep breath while he stood gaping at her, dumbfounded. “You dragged me in waist deep snow strapped to a sled you made while suffering from a life-threatening concussion, then continued to care for my broken leg. You gave me your portion of what little food we had, not to mention your share of water and meds. And you found shelter for us, built a fire for us. You saved us. Shall I go on?”

“It appears I couldn’t stop you if I tried.” He answered wryly.

Her voice lowered to an aching whisper. “You made love to me, told me in so many words that you loved me. And don’t tell me we were caught in an emotional situation. You’ll never make me believe that. 

“And I do love you, maybe more than you’ll ever imagine, Raymond Reddington.” Her voice broke, hoarse and raspy, as she let the tears flow. “Don’t you dare tell me you don’t feel the same!”

He shook his head in denial. “Do you understand what this all entails? My enemies would become your enemies. I could never place you in that position, never live with myself if something were to happen.”

“You’ll keep me safe.” She argued in quiet assurance. 

“No! I cannot, will not, risk you in that way.”

She stood her ground. “I’m not going back to the FBI; that’s my decision; so deal with that.”

He pulled his hands from his pockets and placed them against the chair that separated them, grabbing so hard, he nearly tore the fabric. “You’ve just started a promising career in law enforcement. You cannot throw it all away, not for me –”

“—Yes, I can; I already did.” She watched his mouth open in amazement, his gray eyes open wide with a look of wonder as she told him what her heart desired. 

He shook his head, staring at her, aware that he was losing ground. What had she done? Given it all up – for him? “In time, you’ll–"

“—I’ve had time to think, Red. That’s all I’ve done these past weeks.” She interrupted. “I shared the most intimate part of myself with you. I gave you my heart, my being…everything. I can’t eat; I don’t sleep, can’t think straight. I know what I want. I’ve known since we were on that glorious mountain. You have no choice; neither of us do. Don’t you get it? I want to be with you. I’m willing to find a way to be together. In case you’ve forgotten, you did tell me you loved me just before we both passed out.”

“I haven’t forgotten.” He began. “If I live to be a hundred, I’ll never forget.” He confessed in a painful whisper. 

She took another step forward and dropped the cane. They were mere inches apart now. Her heart pounded, her hands trembled, and she had to make him understand before he walked away.

“Look into my eyes and tell me you don’t love me; I’ll go, and you’ll never see me again.” A beat, a breath and then, “Tell me!”

Trusting him, she took a single step, then she fell into his open arms as he cried out and closed his arms around her. “I can’t…I won’t. Don’t cry, Lizzie.”

She threw her arms around him, eager and anxious to feel his warmth, moving closer. They sobbed and laughed simultaneously, their kisses frenzied and impatient, mouths molded, tongues dancing and swirling. 

Red relished the feel of her in her arms and that Lizzie was his Paradise, her kisses filling him with the hope that he’d dreamed about, held in his heart for these past days. “I missed you.” He confessed, threading his fingers through the wealth of her chestnut strands, inhaled the scent of jasmine and roses, aching to crawl inside her, and loving her until exhaustion overtook them. “You smell so good.”

“You taste good. And I missed you like crazy.”

Leaning away from her, he placed his palms on her beloved, flushed cheeks. “You’ve thought this all out, haven’t you, sweetheart?”

She took his hand kissed his palm. He smelled of soap and spice, and she refused to live another day without him. “Why haven’t you? Why didn’t you come to me?”

He felt her stumble and lifted her in his arms, carried her to the sofa and placed her on his lap, then wrapped his hands around her waist, wanting to keep her close. He searched her eyes, sinking into those deep sapphires and saw her resolve. “You know why.”

She nodded, drew her fingers through his close-cropped hair. “We can see our way around all this.” He began to speak, and she gently placed a finger over his lips. “You have money. We can run away. I won’t give you up. Now tell me what I want to hear.”

He kissed her again, more gently this time, arousal for her blossoming in his loins, excitement tingling through his veins. He wanted her, and she knew it. “I love you, Lizzie. You know I do.”

She smiled through her joyful tears. “Then you’ll marry me?”

“Do I have a choice?” He dared to joke, bliss rising like a tide inside his chest. 

“Is that a ‘yes’?”

He nodded. “You know the answer to that, Lizzie.”

Their kiss sealed a silent promise of forever. Yes, she thought, they would work this out, somehow. They’d been bruised, but not beaten. 

They’d survived.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BALI, INDONESIA  
A MANSION OVERLOOKING THE OCEAN  
SEVEN MONTHS LATER - AUGUST

Sunlight. Ocean sounds. Tropical breezes. Warmth. Naked. Love.

Red.

Elizabeth Scott Reddington, also known in Bali as Josephine Sullivan Rathers, moaned in drowsy pleasure, her body softly writhing as her husband planted gentle kisses on her sun-kissed flesh.

“That’s not fair.” She smiled, slowly opening her eyes and locking her gaze with his gorgeous orbs. “You said you’d let me sleep. Liar.”

A soft chuckle rumbled from his throat, as his body covered hers, his thick erection teasing her sex, his strong muscled leg urging her thighs open to bid him entry.

“I’m a criminal. Criminals are notorious liars.”

Her legs spread wide, and she answered his chuckle with a small giggle as he slid easily inside her wet heat. “No you’re not; not anymore.”

“No, I’m not.” He lowered his head, wanting nothing more than to kiss her all day in this Paradise they’d found months ago, when they ran away, eloped, then left the world behind.

They’d found a way. Red had liquidated all he could in record time, sustaining his wealth, certain that he and Elizabeth would be not only safe from his enemies, but taking care to make sure they were financially secure for the rest of their lives.

“Love me.” She sighed between kisses, savoring the feel of his large hands under her hips, lifting her into his hard, thick length. The warm breeze ruffled the sheer curtains that gently blew inside their upstairs bedroom, whispered over their entwined bodies while they loved each other.

“I do, Lizzie.” He breathed, his words an oath of devotion as his lips found her breasts, nuzzling and licking her erect nubs, then sucking them into his mouth, making her groan with a sound that he savored. “You’re beautiful, Mrs. Reddington.”

She brought her hands around his back, as her fingers found the raised welts of his scars, suffered in the fire that brought them together so long ago. Trailing her fingers down to rest on his rear, she gently urged him closer as he began to thrust inside her aching heat. She opened wider for him, shamelessly enjoying the way his body moved, buried inside her, her cries of pleasure the only sounds splitting the silence of early morning. 

Their eyes met then locked, Red’s fingers threading through her wealth of now very long blonde hair as his body quickened its pace. She caressed his beloved face, watched his gray eyes grow dark with heightened arousal, his nostrils flare from sexual excitement. She was close to climax, her body tingling with a wildness that he matched, move for move.

“I love you.” Her words told him to let go, to give her everything, and Red obliged as his hungry body drove inside her as she arched her back to receive every inch of him. 

“I’m here.” The words barely escaped his throat as he kissed her once again, thrusting his tongue inside and out, mimicking the act of love. “You can fall, Lizzie; I’ll catch you.”

“Red!” Her body drenched his own, quaking with rippling contractions that drew his body deep inside her as he clenched his teeth, a deep sob exploding in his chest as he came with a ferocity that rocked them both.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hearing the soft rhythmic sounds of her breathing as she dozed, Red held her close as they lay entwined in cool sheets as the sun rose higher in the Southern sky.

Nearly a year since they arrived here at the island paradise that he’d acquired with the help of his team, namely Marvin Gerard, he smiled and tenderly kissed her forehead, knowing her dreams were filled with happiness and warmth.

After that day when she’d come to him, determined and strong, dropping her cane and along with it, any doubts she may have harbored for their future together, Red knew a love, deep and abiding, that he could not, would not, live without.

Quickly and efficiently, he’d acquired a new Gulf Stream, along with Edward Todd, a competent young pilot, then set about creating a new life for himself and Elizabeth.

His heart full, his sexual appetite sated, he followed her into slumber, knowing she was safe from harm, confident that he’d been able to protect her in their new south pacific haven.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A week later found them entwined on their private beach, naked, sharing a whispered conversation, surrounded by thick swaying palm trees, hidden from view by an enormous umbrella. Bodyguards and security were out of sight yet present all the same. There was nothing Red wouldn’t do to keep his wife safe. Lost in love and in each other.

“Happy?”

“Mmm.” She moaned seductively. “Definitely happy, Kenneth.” She teased, using the name he gave her that first day they met. 

“Well… Josephine,” he countered. I have a little surprise for you.”

Eyes bright and wide, she playfully nuzzled his two-day stubble, then gave him her most joyous smile. “Tell me.”

A soft rumble rose from his chest. “How would you like to go back to Denver? To our mountain?”

He laughed then as her nose crinkled in disagreement. “You can’t possibly mean that God-forsaken mountain where we nearly met our demise, do you?”

“The one and only.”

“Okay, Reddington, what are you up to?”

She moved over him, very aware of his arousal and responded in kind, rubbing her naked flesh over his erection. He exhaled a heavy sigh, lost his voice for a bit. All he wanted to do was love her again, but first….

“I purchased our cabin.”

Her curiosity grew as she rested her palms on the light sprinkling of his chest hair. “You did? And when did it become ‘our’ cabin?”

He slid his hands down to the curve of her back to rest on the rounded cheeks of her ass, while his mouth found the soft place behind her ear that enticed and excited her. “I had it rebuilt, top to bottom, added an upstairs area. I was thinking we could leave the first week of September, while it’s still summer.”

He sucked in a breath as her hand gripped his rock-hard length and guided it inside her own. She emitted a small cry of pleasure, while he gasped in carnal heat.

Deeply embedded inside her, he watched as she lifted herself and sat astride him, her breasts swollen, nipples erect and dark, while his palms touched and teased her hard nubs, squeezing, gently pulling until she moaned. She was wet and hot, and incredibly aroused, a blonde goddess. His heart. His life.

“Oh… Red, that’s…. wonderful.”

He didn’t know if she was talking about the cabin – or him. And it didn’t matter.

Grabbing her hips, he lifted her up, then pulled her down, slowly, purposely, as her soaked flesh tightened and squeezed him. She gazed down at him, her long blonde hair creating a curtain around her lovely face, as his body responded to her warmth. She moved in a rhythmic motion, her body rising and falling onto his, as he pushed up deeper inside her. His cock was drenched from her essence, driving him wild as her body stilled, telling him she was close.

He stroked once, twice and cried out her name as he came, a powerful release that jetted inside her as she lowered herself to his chest, where he gathered her in his arms.

Their bodies throbbed in time with their heartbeats as they struggled to catch their breath. Birds sang in the distance, turquoise ocean waves crashed against the shore, and all was right in their world.

After several moments of silence, he covered them with a light cotton sheet and moved them to lie side by side. “I love you, Lizzie. I do.”

“I know.” She nuzzled his face, then allowed herself a chuckle. “I know.”

“What’s so funny?”

She shrugged. “The cabin. The place where we almost lost it all, nearly died, yet I can’t wait to go back.”

He nodded, tenderly tucking an errant strand of blonde behind her ear. “It will be different this time, I promise.”

“How so?” She kissed his nose, inhaled his scent, spice and cloves mixed with the ocean breeze that teased their naked flesh.

He searched her face, looking into her eyes, so blue, so mesmerizing, he needed nothing more in his life than to gaze at her, so in love was he. She’d saved them both, his brave Lizzie. Because of her, he surely had found his way home.

“There will be no snow, no wolves, no broken bones.” He proclaimed. “We’ll replace those memories with new ones."

“I’ll go anywhere with you, my love.” Her hushed whisper was meant only for him, her husband, love of her life. “Memories that don’t include snow – not this time.” Her tender kiss revealed all that was in her heart. “Warm memories.” She added.

He pressed his forehead close to hers.

“I promise, with all my heart, sweetheart… you’ll never be cold again.”

THE END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to all of you from the bottom of my heart for taking time from your busy life to read my little Lizzington stories; Survival was a fun one to be sure, and I'm happy to be able to give them their happy ever after, as usual!! I want to thank also, my brainstorming partner, my dear friend, cress26, for always, always being there for me, day or night, to help me when I got stuck with a line of dialogue, the setting of a scene or just "what do I do now?" kind of question. None of my stories are possible without her.
> 
> Stay tuned for my new story, SEPARATED TOGETHER, a completely different kind of AU Lizzington: deeper, darker and more complex as we delve into the world of a group blacklisters, gunning for Red; the only difference here is: Red and Liz are married and working together, until tragedy strikes and they must deal with death on a different level. *coming in late Autumn*.
> 
> Enjoy the finale of SURVIVAL ~ Ah the trade winds of Bali. <3

**Author's Note:**

> Many, many thanks to my beta, inspiration and all-around brilliant fanfic partner, cress26. <3
> 
> I do not own The Blacklist or any of its characters.
> 
> This is a work of complete fiction.


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